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Iran hopes Moscow nuclear talks would be "step forward": FM

11 June 2012 20:16 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi expressed hope that the upcoming nuclear talks in the Russian capital Moscow would be a "step forward" in resolving the existing differences between Iran and the West, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Salehi said that the progress in the upcoming talks between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) in Moscow depends on creation of an atmosphere of mutual trust, said the report.

"In concordance with the prevailing atmosphere of mutual trust and good will, I hope we should witness progress in the trend of Iran-P5+1 talks," he was quoted as saying.

The next round of talks between Iran and P5+1, is scheduled to be held in Moscow on June 18-19.

On Monday, Iranian senior lawmaker, Kazem Jalali, said that the upcoming nuclear talks between Iran and world powers in Moscow would test the West’s will to help the process of talks yield positive results, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

The Islamic republic has always regarded transparent and purposeful negotiation as the best approach to the Iranian nuclear issue, Jalali told Mehr.

Also, another Iranian lawmaker said Monday that the upcoming talks between Iran and the world powers will test Russia’s foreign policy, Fars reported.

Mehdi Sanayee, who also directs the Russia Studies at Tehran University’s Faculty of World Studies, underlined the necessity for close relations between Tehran and Moscow, and added that the two countries enjoy ample economic, political and cultural potential and capacities to increase mutual cooperation.

The upcoming talks between Iran and the six world powers in Moscow next week "will be a major test for Russia’s foreign policy, " especially now that Vladimir Putin has again ascended to power as the Russian president, Sanayee made the remarks at a conference on Iran-Russia cooperation in Tehran.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Iran on Wednesday to discuss Iran’s nuclear program and the situation in Syria.

During his visit, Lavrov will hold talks with Iranian officials on the preparation for the upcoming Moscow round of talks between Iran and the six major world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, according to the ministry’s press service.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday expressed hope that all parties concerned will show further flexibility and pragmatism in the upcoming talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Russia.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1.

Liu called on all parties to accommodate each other’s concerns and seek a resolution to the Iran nuclear issue through dialogue.

China has been actively committed to promoting peace and talks, and is ready to work with all parties to push for a comprehensive and appropriate settlement to the Iran nuclear issue, he said.

Iran held nuclear talks on May 23-24 with the six major world powers in Baghdad.

During the Baghdad talks, the six powers tabled a package of incentives to Iran in a bid to settle the issue, while Iran announced its readiness to further discuss the issue of the 20- percent enrichment of uranium.

However, the latest round of nuclear talks between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran on June 8 made no progress, according to Herman Nackaerts, IAEA deputy director general and head of the department of safeguards.