[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran has expressed willingness to have talks with the European Union on its nuclear program after the month of Ramadan ends in early September, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday.He also said after a meeting with his Iranian and Brazilian counterparts that Iran would send a letter on Monday to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) asking for a start to separate "technical" talks on implementing a nuclear fuel swap.
The West fears Iran's secretive uranium enrichment program is a veiled quest to develop nuclear weapons capability. Tehran denies this, saying it seeks only electricity from enrichment so it can export more of its oil wealth.
Brazil and Turkey have characterized the proposed fuel deal as a way to build confidence for broader negotiations involving six world powers, represented for now by the EU's foreign policy chief, on an overall nuclear settlement with Iran.
"The Iranian Foreign Minister confirmed once again they are ready to start negotiations with Mrs Ashton... (He) stated that immediately after Ramadan they would start with negotiations," Davutoglu said, adding they could meet in Istanbul.
Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign affairs chief, wrote to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili last month inviting him to resume negotiations. The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan ends in the first half of September.