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Iran-IAEA talks not failed: FM spokesman

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 21, IRNA -- Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Abbas Araqchi said Tuesday that Iran's latest talks with the UN nuclear watchdog has not failed.

He reiterated that the talks included issues beyond commitments.

He made the remarks commenting on a statement by the representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the talks Herman Nackaerts who had said that the May 15 talks between Iran and the IAEA had failed.

Nackaerts is the Deputy Director General for Safeguards at the IAEA. He represented the agency in the 10th round of talks between Iran and the IAEA held in Vienna, Austria, on May 15.

'The talks were held to set a framework for Iran-IAEA cooperation,' Araqchi said while addressing foreign and domestic reporters.

Noting that the two sides have, so far, held 10 rounds of 'difficult and complicated' negotiations, he expressed hope that the next round of talks would lead to some final results.

Referring to the last round of talks between Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Istanbul, Turkey, which was held simultaneously with Iran-IAEA talks, Araqchi said the Istanbul talks were not Iran-G5+1 talks.

The talks were held to discuss some 'side issues and also to hear Ms. Ashton's response to Iran's previous proposals,' he said.

'After the Almaty-2 talks between Iran and the Group 5+1, Ms. Ashton was to consult with the capitals of the six countries and then announce the result of her talks with Iran within one week. But it lasted almost 40 days,' Araqchi said.

Commenting on some reports that the P5+1 would not hold the next round of talks with Iran before the country's presidential election on June 14, he said, 'If they prefer not to hold any talks before the election, it is up to them.

'However, Tehran is ready to continue talks with the group either before or after the presidential election since there has been no change in the country's principled positions.'

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