Iran, major powers start nuclear talks in Moscow

MOSCOW, June 19 (MNA) – Negotiators from Iran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Russia, China, France, and Britain, and Germany) began nuclear talks in Moscow on Monday. The talks in Moscow are in continuation of negotiations which were held in Istanbul in April and then in Baghdad in May after a 15-month hiatus. The most important point is that the negotiating partners must recognize Iran’s right to enrichment within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that Iran’s obligations should not go beyond the treaty. As a signatory to the NPT, Iran has legal right to uranium enrichment for civilian purposes. Iran has said that negotiations should be “purposeful” and that if negotiations are going to produce results they should be met with “reciprocal steps”. Prior to Monday’s talks, Tehran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said that Iran expects its right to uranium enrichment to be recognized at the Moscow talks. However, the Iranian negotiating team says that the Western powers on the 5+1 group seem to be reneging on their promise at the Istanbul meeting that the NPT should be the basis of talks.