Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili advised the so-called P5+1 group (Consisting of the USA, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement on nuclear talks with Iran.

Jalili was talking to journalists after a dinner meeting with the EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton on Wednesday, he recalled the 2010 Iran–Brazil-Turkey deal to swap Iranian uranium stockpiles as an opportunity that the west failed to seize.

“Tehran’s declaration was about the supplying of Tehran’s medical reactor with 20% uranium but instead of seizing the opportunity they [the west] issued resolution 1929 [against Iran]” Jalili said.

Iran signed a joint declaration with Turkey and Brazil on May 16, 2010 to ship 1,200kg of low enriched uranium to Turkey for a later exchange of 120kg of enriched isotope for its medical nuclear reactor in Tehran.

 But within hours after the deal was announced by Brazilian and Turkish leaders the US rejected that and pushed ahead with sanctions.

 After the swap deal failed, Iran which was in need of 20% enriched uranium for its medical reactor developed its nuclear program to produce 20% uranium itself.

 “[After Tehran’s declaration failed] , Iran supplied itself with 20% enriched Uranium (According to the rights of NPT memebers) and [the P5+1] lost the opportunity opened up by the Tehran declaration. Then they [after three years] in Almaty-I asked to talk about 20% enrichment,” said Jalili in a press conference on Thursday morning.

 “The Iranian nation [never] retreats from its rights. I hope this time they study our proposals in the Almaty-II talks to avoid later regrets,” he said as a warning that Iran would go further on its nuclear program if the west continues to ignore Iran’s proposals.

EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili had a dinner meeting in Turkish city of Istanbul, on May 15. The meeting was a follow up to last round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on April 5-6.

Speaking at a press conference after the Almaty talks, Jalili said that Iran provided a comprehensive operational plan to the P5+1 and it is now up to the group to decide on how to respond to the Iranian proposals.

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While EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili meet each other tonight in the Turkish city of Istanbul, two sides do not even have a shared vision of the content and objective of their meeting.

The dinner meeting tonight in Istanbul is a follow up to the last round of Iran – P5+1 (US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) nuclear talks held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on April 5th and 6th.

Dr. Jalili on arrival in Istanbul on Wednesday morning told journalists that he is expecting to “receive P5+1’s response to Iran’s proposal” which was presented in Almaty-I talks on February 26th and 27th.

Jalili said that Ashton and the P5+1 delegations promised in their final statement of Almaty-II talks to answer Iran’s proposal within several days, but now, after a long delay, he is in Istanbul to hear the result of P5+1 consultations with their foreign ministers.

On the other side, Catherine Ashton in remarks before her meeting with Saeed Jalili expressed hope to receive Iran’s respond to proposals that the P5+1 have put forward in Almaty on both occasions.

“This is not a negotiating meeting, but it is an opportunity to take time to consider further the good proposals we have put forward,” she said.

Catherine Ashton said in her statement at the end of Almaty-II talks that the P5+1 delegations will go back to their capitals to evaluate the process and later she will be in touch with Dr. Jalili in order to see how to go forward.

Ashton is also likely to get information about the Iran’s upcoming presidential election from Jalili, who may be the next Iranian president as he announced his candidacy for the upcoming Iran’s presidential election.

Iran also had a new round of negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Wednesday.

The ongoing talks are the 10th round of the negotiations between Iran and the IAEA over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program since early 2012.

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The meeting is a follow up to last round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 (consisting of US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on April 5-6.

According to a source close to the Iranian negotiating team, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili is accompanied by his deputy Ali Bagheri.

“Even though it took a long time [since Almaty-II talks] but we are waiting to receive P5+1 answers to Iran’s proposal,” said Jalili after he arrived in Istanbul.

Answering to question regard possible effect of Iran’s presidential election on nuclear talks, Jalili said: “Nuclear issue is a national one and all parties have consensus on this. So the presidential election has will not affect [the talks].”

 After tonight’s meeting, two sides will likely issue a joint statement and Dr. Jalili, a candidate of Iran’s June 14 presidential election will hold a press conference in the Iranian consulate on Thursday.

“We are ready to listen to the results of Mrs. Ashton’s meeting with foreign ministers of the P5+1,” said the source speaking on condition of anonymity.

Catherine Ashton who represents the P5+1 said in the end of Almaty-II talks that the group delegation will go back to capitals to evaluate the process and later she will be in touch with Dr. Jalili in order to see how to go forward.

Ashton likely to get information about the Iran’s upcoming presidential election from Jalili, who may be the next Iranian president as he announced his candidacy for the upcoming Iranian presidential election.

Iran also started a new round of negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Wednesday.

The ongoing talks are the 10th round of the negotiations between Iran and the IAEA over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program since early 2012.

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“Tomorrow Mr. Jalili will meet Catherine Ashton in Istanbul as a step of the negotiations,” Said Araghchi who is also the in a Press Conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

Araghchi who is a member of Iranian nuclear negotiating team expressed hope that “Ashton gives Iran positive answers in her meeting [with Dr. Jalili] tomorrow and [the P5+1] have met Iran’s proposal in a constructive manner.

“I believe the election generally will have some effects on the negotiations but none of Iran’s principal policies will change,” he said.

The EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Secretary of Iranian Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili will meet in Iran’s consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The talks come whereas Ashton was supposed to consult with the P5+1 foreign ministers and inform the group of Iran’s proposals, while Iran has received no response about its offers one month after talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has registered to stand in the June 14 presidential election.

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“Our technical developments continue within the framework of our obligations,” said Deputy Secretary of the Iranian National Security Council said in a meeting with students of the University of Tehran. “Iran’s coming presidential election will insure the progress of the country’s nuclear technical development.”

Slamming Iran’s nuclear negotiating team during 2003-05 with Europe led by Hassan Rowhani, Bagheri said: “In the past we did not have real negotiations and our national interest and security was damaged. We accepted a false term of ‘suspension’ and then our nuclear file was referred to the UN Security Council.”

“Discussion of our nuclear technical field was ignored in that period, consequently the other side [the West] told us to suspend the whole fuel cycle,” he said.

Hassan Rowhani, a candidate of the upcoming presidential election critiqued the process of the current nuclear talks in his election campaign speeches, describing it as “slow” and unable to stop sanctions against Iran.

While the election race heats up in Iran, the nuclear issue is one of the main topics, candidates talk about it in their campaign speeches.

“Time is in our favor,” Bagheri answering a question asked by a student regard prolongation of talks with the P5+1. “In the past time was against us because we suspended our nuclear activities and they were pressing us. But now even though [the west] continues its pressure against us, we are continuing to develop technical aspects of [our nuclear program].”

The Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Security Council denied the suspension of all of Iran’s nuclear activities was endorsed by the Supreme Leader.

In answer to increasing critics against the mandate of Rowhani in nuclear talks with Europe and acceptance of suspension of nuclear activities, he said on several occasions that the supreme leader endorsed the initiative.

“As Mr. Rowhani wrote in his book, the Supreme Leader only accepted the suspension of Gas injection and not all of the nuclear activities. It is an injustice to attribute our mistakes to the leader,” said Bagheri.

At the end of the discussion between the University of Tehran students and the Iranian deputy nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri the students handed a letter to Bagheri inviting Saeed Jalili (The chief negotiator) to be a candidate in the presidential election. 

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Manouchehr Mottaki, who served as Iran’s Foreign Minister from 2005 to 2010, and has now announced his candidacy for the Presidential elections in June, told Iran’s Supreme Leader in the last months of his service that “We are ready to reach an agreement with the P5+1.”

“[In this scenario] we also should make the West accept our rights and allow them to announce that they convinced Iran to accept their demands,” Mottaki said as he explained his plan to Ayatollah Khamenei.

The plan, apparently, proposed to accept of some of the P5+1 demands as a face-saving step for the western side.

Speaking in a conference of “Union of Islamic Societies of Independent Students” in Tehran, Mottaki said on Friday that he suggested Iran should declare the Supreme Leader’s Nuclear Fatwa (religious edict, declaring that the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons are all prohibited in Islam), and increase cooperation with the IAEA, despite all of their sabotages.

“The Supreme leader accepted my plan, [then] we discussed it with President Ahmadinejad and [following his order] a 4- member team was formed,” he said. “but unfortunately I was dismissed after a few months,” Mottaki said.

On 13 December 2010, Mottaki was dismissed as foreign minister – while on an official tour of Africa – by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

President Ahmadinejad appointed the country’s then top nuclear official, Ali Akbar Salehi, to replace Mr Mottaki.

“We were [running] in a marathon, we had to manage sanctions and perform our policies simultaneously,” He said about his serving period as Iran’s Foreign Minister.

“On the nuclear issue since 2005 we have arrived at a new battle, we reached self-sufficiency in uranium enrichment and consequently are facing fresh pressures from the West,” Mottaki asserted saying “…for the one who has the upper hand, retreating will make him the loser.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council formulates the country’s nuclear policy. The nuclear policies formulated by the council would become effective if they are confirmed by the Supreme Leader. The Secretary of the council, Saeed Jalili acts as the chief nuclear negotiator of Iran.

Latest round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 group held April 5^th and 6^th in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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Iran’s deputy nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri was in an analytical program on state TV to explain what happened one week after the latest round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 (five permanent members of United Nation Security Council plus Germany).

“In Almaty – 2, Iran forced the other side to start bargaining and enter into serious negotiations for the first time ever,” Dr. Bagheri said

“Iran clarified that it will only accept to take some of the steps of the P5+1 proposal in return for proper reciprocal steps. Dr. Jalili told the P5+1 delegates that we can either take proper, reciprocal and simultaneous steps or not take any steps at all,” adding that due to the importance of making decisions, the P5+1 delegates needed to consult with their capitals so: “ they proposed to have another meeting and Dr. Jalili agreed. Although he had already said in the talks that Iran is ready to continue talks and go into details even now.”

“In fact, we demanded that the other side make its decision and the ball is now in P5+1’s court,” Bagheri said.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like it. There was intensive dialogue on key issues at the core [of the proposed confidence building measures]. Both sides came away with a better understanding of each others’ positions,” a senior U.S. official said.

Western diplomats had offered limited sanctions relief on Tehran. In return, they had asked Iran to suspend its 20% uranium enrichment but Tehran reiterated it needs to use it in a medical-research reactor.

The undersecretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council for Foreign Policy and International Security said in his interview with state TV that “The lack of the P5+1 political directors having enough authority was the main obstacle to reaching an agreement in Almaty.”

“They could neither leave the talks as a complete failure nor could they make a critical decision. So they decided to return to their capitals to consult with the real decision makers,” Bagheri said.

“Dr. Jalili told Ms. Ashton in Moscow last year, that the current level of the P5+1 negotiators aren’t [authorised for] decision making and she endorsed that fact.”

Another problem for reaching a breakthrough in the nuclear talks from Iran’s viewpoint is internal differences between the members (U.S, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, members of the so called P5+1 group).

“The differences between the stance of Russia and China and other members of the P5+1 are clear. But even the western members of the group do not have a unified position,” Bagheri said.

“Sometimes in the talks, when Dr. Jalili declared his stance on a specific subject, we faced different and conflicting answers from the western delegates of the P5+1.”

The differences between P5+1 becomes more significant after talks in Almaty.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by Russia Today describing the talks “definitely a step forward.” However, U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague took a tougher line, urging Iran to “consider carefully whether it wants to continue on its current course and face increasing pressure and isolation.”

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany wrapped up their latest round of negotiations on April 6 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Speaking at a press conference after the talks, Jalili said that Iran provided a comprehensive operational plan to the P5+1 and it is now up to the group to decide on how to respond to the Iranian proposals.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the P5+1, said on the same day that the two sides of the negotiations “remain far apart on the substance” of the talks.

However, she added, “Indeed, we have talked in much greater detail than ever before, and our efforts will continue in that direction.”

The US, Israel and some of their allies claim that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with the US and the European Union using the false claim as pretext to impose illegal sanctions against Iran.

Tehran rejects the allegation over its nuclear energy activities, maintaining that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

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On February 27^th after 2 days of negotiations, Iran and P5+1 agreed to hold talks on March 18^th in Istanbul with experts from the two parties to attend and discuss technical issues of the offers made during Almaty talks; they also agreed that senior political directors will meet again in Almaty, Kazakhstan to resume talks.

European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton refused to talk about the details of the P5+1 proposal as the offer is being reviewed by Iranians and experts.

However some American media quoted a senior American diplomat whose name remained unknown as having said that the 6 powers proposal to Iran include curbing 20% uranium enrichment, restraining activities at Fordow nuclear site located somewhere close to the city of Qom in exchange for some sanction relief particularly on Iran’s petrochemical exports.

The P5+1 “has not asked for the shutting down of Fordow plant,” Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council who leads the country’s team of negotiators with the P5+1, told journalists after the two-day talks ended.

‘”Fordow is a legal and fully recognized plan for the IAEA and operates under its supervision. IAEA studies its activities and it works completely based on the agency’s rules and there is no justification for the closure of the plant,” he added.

Iranian experts who have reviewed the Almaty offer in Tehran say: ‘P5+1 has proposed the six months suspension of enrichment activities in Fordow plant in exchange for suspension of sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical exports and gold trading.’

Iran has mentioned recognition of the country’s “right for enrichment” as a signatory of the NPT, Iran’s main demand from the P5+1 in order to resume talks but had described the degree of the enrichment as “according to needs” and “negotiable” .

Although Jalili called the six powers’ proposal in Almaty “an effort to get closer to Iran’s standpoints” and “positive”, he urged that “we have a long way to reach.”

Catherine Ashton said: “The offer addresses international concerns on the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme, but is also responsive to Iranian ideas.”

Almaty talks received a great deal of attention in Iran and most Iranian media described it a “victory for Iran” and “West’s withdrawal from its previous stands”

Kazem Sediqi, Speaker of Friday Prayer of 1 March defined Almaty talks as demonstrating Iran’s “stable and consistent stance”.

He stated that “Iran’s degree of enrichment is not any other country’s affair and the Iranian nation will benefit from their basic rights as per their needs and are not scared of any power.”

The long-term suspension of uranium enrichment in 2004 and while the reformist government of Iran was in power had always received serious criticism from the country’s Supreme Leader and “suspension of enrichment” has turned into a redline whose acceptance equals surrender and admitting defeat.

“The administration of [Khatami] due to lack of authority-based reasoning and initiatives, had surrendered to west’s demands and IAEA’s and this lead the agency to issue 6 different resolutions against our country at the time,” said Ali Baqeri.

Nonetheless Iran’s team of negotiators and state senior officials have recurrently insisted that the 20% enrichment is only aimed at fulfilling medical needs of Tehran’s nuclear reactor and through developing other means of accomplishing such fulfillment, this degree of uranium enrichment can be halted. Thus Iran would continue its enrichment activities with a 5% degree afterwards.

It should be reminded that Iran has not accepted Almaty offers yet and has merely called it a positive step; as it has been stated in the Iranian statement on Almaty talks, “We consider these talks a positive step which could be completed by taking a positive and constructive approach and taking reciprocal steps. “

Therefore the expert talks to be held on March 18^th in Istanbul bear great significance. The two teams are to discuss the details of the presented proposals in order to make it clear what steps each team would take.

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The second day of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 is held in Almaty while the two sides agreed to have a technical meeting in Istanbul and then another political meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan. no date specified by Iran’sView source.

 “We had a useful meeting today. Further discussions took place this evening. We have agreed to have another meeting tomorrow at 11 o’clock,” Michael Mann, the spokesman for Catherine Ashton, told reporters last night.

The Iranian chief negotiator Saeed Jalili and Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, held a bilateral meeting on Wednesday before the talks. Later in the day, Jalili also met Kazakh foreign minister.  

Today’s plenary session is going to be a short meeting. Iran is expected to present its new proposal to the P5+1. Iranian officials said yesterday that their proposal is changeable and depending on what the other side suggests, a suitable version of it is going to be presented. Diplomatic sources say that both sides would probably agree on holding technical talks.

An Iranian diplomat told Iran’sView that the p5+1 have retreated from lots of their previous positions and agreed to some compromises.

“Actually P5+1 proposal isn’t something new. They have modified their Baghdad package in response to our moscow request.”, the diplomat stressed.

Unlike previous rounds of talks, the P5+1 is trying to show a positive picture of Almaty talks.

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A source close to the Iranian delegation told Iran’s view ahead of the talks Iran will certainly reject the p5+1 offer if it is not worthy and credible.

The source said that the West would better have “credible” proposals based on the NPT and the agreements made during the talks in Istanbul, Turkey, and also based on the step-by-step approach.

 “Things will not get worse for us; We are already subjected to the hardest sanctions but have been able to overcome these problems,” the source said.

The new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the 5+1 group is to take place in Almaty Kazakhstan, tomorrow 01:00 pm local time.

The Iranian delegation headed by chief negotiator Saeed Jalili arrived in Almaty yesterday.  Jalili has dismissed the possibility of Iran giving in to the pressures by the Western powers and forsaking its nuclear rights.

The Iranian chief negotiator emphasized that if Iran gave up its nuclear rights, the Western powers not only would not end the pressures but also would push for more.

The NPT gives its signatories the right to enrich uranium for producing fuel and other peaceful purposes. The Western powers, however, accuse Iran of being after nuclear weapons.  So far they have had no credible proof for this claim though.

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