Cameron, Obama reiterate support for Iran nuclear talks

TEHRAN,Nov.16(MNA) – U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have spoken about their expectations for the next round of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, as part of a phone conversation about several security issues in the Middle East, the White House said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. "On Iran, the president and prime minister reiterated their support for the P5+1's unified proposal and discussed their expectations for the next round of talks," the White House said. Iran and the six world powers - the U.S., Britain, Russia, France, China, and Germany - came close to a preliminary nuclear agreement at the weekend during talks in Geneva and decided to resume negotiations on November 20 in their attempt to defuse a decade-old standoff. In addition, French President Francois Hollande and Obama on Wednesday jointly urged Iran to accept a deal presented by world powers on its nuclear program, Hollande's office said, according to AFP. In a statement issued after a call between the two leaders, they also expressed support for the text of an agreement put forward by world powers at recent talks in Geneva. Hollande and Obama "confirmed their full support for the text agreed" by the P5+1 group of world powers at this weekend's talks, which they said forms "the basis for a serious, solid, and credible agreement". "Now it is up to Iran to give a positive answer," the statement said. In its own statement, the White House said the two leaders were in "full agreement" on the "unified proposal" put forward by world powers in the P5+1 group. The statement also highlighted Washington's close relationship with Paris, after reports it was opposition from France that scuttled a deal with Iran. "The United States deeply values its relationship with France, including as NATO allies, and we will continue to consult closely on global security," the White House said.