Iran-P5+1 talks constructive: Russia’s Foreign Ministry

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has described the latest round of talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) in the Turkish city of Istanbul as constructive. "Yesterday’s meeting between Iran and the P5+1 was held in a constructive and respectful atmosphere… the sides demonstrated their readiness to find strategies for a diplomatic settlement of Iran's nuclear [energy] program in this round of the negotiations," the ministry said in a Sunday statement. Central to the meeting was the possible modalities of an all-embracing politico-diplomatic solution to the issue around the Iranian nuclear (energy) program, and the complete restoration of confidence of the international community in its peaceful nature, the statement further said. The sides also confirmed their preparedness to lend the renewed dialogues stable and gradual development, based on the provisions of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it added. Also on Sunday, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who attended the Istanbul talks as the Russian representative, said the P5+1 recognized Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes while remaining committed to international obligations. He added that Moscow was satisfied with the results of the Saturday talks in Turkey and noted that the parties reached consensus on several specific issues. The main thing is we have reached an understanding that we should go forward on the principles of reciprocity, which Russia has defended from the outset of the present stage of the dialogue with Iran, Ryabkov said. He pointed to an agreement by the sides to continue the talks in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on May 23 and said that this is a good result, considering the fact that some 15 months have passed between the previous and the present round. The latest round of the comprehensive talks between Iran and the P5+1 wrapped up in Istanbul on Saturday after a 15-month hiatus. Tehran and the six global powers had held two rounds of talks in the past, one in Geneva in December 2010 and another in Istanbul in January 2011.