UN welcomes Iran-P5+1 dialogue

The UN has voiced support for the continuation of talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group - Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany, the acting deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, Press TV reported with reference to IRNA.

Farhan Haq said in an exclusive interview with IRNA, "Ban Ki-moon has always supported the continuation of the talks, and encouraged the two sides to reach an outcome through holding negotiations."

Earlier on Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said Moscow welcomes the resumption of Iran-P5+1 group talks.

On Thursday, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the P5+1 group would not hold additional negotiations with Tehran.

Referring to a recent letter by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Saeed Jalili, she said, "On its own, Dr. Jalili's letter does not contain anything new and does not seem to justify a further meeting."

In his letter on Tuesday, the SNSC secretary welcomed talks with the P5+1 group based on common ground and in a pressure-free atmosphere.

Iran and the P5+1 group held two rounds of multifaceted talks, one in Geneva in December 2010 and the other in Istanbul last January.


/Trend/