Iran’s embassy says Istanbul is venue for nuclear talks

slamic Republic of Iran's Embassy in Turkey here Monday night officially confirmed its hosting of upcoming Iran - 5+1G nuclear negotiations, IRNA reported.

According to IRNA, the Iranian diplomatic office in Turkish capital city announcing the news added, "These talks would be held on April 14th, 2012 between the concerned officials of our country and those of the group of six western countries in first round of a two-step negations in Istanbul, Turkey."

The spokesperson of EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton had earlier expressed hope that the first round of these talks would be held at an amicable atmosphere and lead to tangible results.

Michael Mann added, "The EU is after reaching a continuous process in these talks."

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Fereydoun Abbasi announced late Sunday that Iran will do 20-percent uranium enrichment just to meet its own needs.

According to IRNA, Abbasi made the remarks in an interview with the Iranian TV channel Jame-e Jam on the occasion of the National Day of Nuclear Technology.

He said that Iran has decided to improve its capabilities in producing 20-percent enriched uranium in terms of weight, adding that Tehran does not require enriching uranium higher than 20 percent.

On export of Iran's nuclear technologies, he said that Iran, as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), could present its nuclear services to the global community.

Iran's achievements in the fields of fuel producing and building of a small-scale fuel complex do not serve the propaganda objectives, the IAEO head said.

On production of virtual fuel for Arak Reactor, Abbasi stressed that the virtual fuel is the same as the real one in terms of geometry and scale but the fuel rods contain lead instead of uranium.

The proposal outlined late Sunday seeks to directly address one of the potential main issues in the talks scheduled to begin Friday between Iran and the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany.

Abbasi said Tehran could stop its production of 20 percent enriched uranium needed for a research reactor, and continue enriching uranium to lower levels for power generation.

This could take place once Iran has stockpiled enough of the 20 percent enriched uranium, Abbasi told state TV. The 20 percent enriched material can be used for medical research and treatments.

The enrichment issue lies at the core of the dispute between Iran and the West, which fears that Tehran is seeking an atomic weapon - a charge the country denies, insisting its uranium program is for peaceful purposes only.

Uranium has to be enriched to more than 90 percent to be used for a nuclear weapon.

Abbasi said production of uranium enriched up to 20 percent is not part of the nation's long-term program - beyond amounts needed for its research reactor in Tehran - and insisted that Iran 'doesn't need' to enrich beyond the 20 percent levels.

'The job is being carried out based on need,' he said. 'When the need is met, we will decrease production and it is even possible to completely reverse to only 3.5 percent' enrichment levels," He added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted on the Iranian parliament's website on Monday as saying he hopes for some progress in the upcoming talks but warned Iran would not accept any preconditions.

'We will honestly try to have the two sides conclude with a win-win situation in which Iran achieves its rights while removing concerns of five-plus-one group,' he said. 'But imposing any conditions before the talks would be meaningless.'

Iran insists it has full rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty to enrich uranium to create nuclear fuel and says it only seeks enrichment levels to power reactors.

Abbasi's remarks follow a show of bravado last week from Iranian lawmaker Gholam Reza Mesbahi Moqaddam, who claimed Tehran has the know-how and the capability to produce a nuclear weapon but would never do so.

After a protracted flap over the venue for the talks, Iranian state TV reported Sunday that both sides had agreed on Istanbul. It said a second round would be held in Baghdad but that its timing would be decided during the meeting in Turkey.


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