ISTANBUL - Iran will hold talks with major powers in Turkey over its disputed nuclear programme, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday, after earlier discussions failed to resolve the row.“I hope that this important issue will reach its final result in the (next) Istanbul talks,” Ahmadinejad told a news conference in Istanbul, broadcast live on Iranian state television, without giving a date.
After talks with his European Union counterpart in Geneva in February, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said he hoped there would be further meetings, but no date was set.
Iranian media quoted Salehi as saying earlier this month that Tehran had received a letter from European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represented major powers in previous talks with Iran.
“Soon the response to Mrs. Ashton’s letter will be sent by relevant Iranian officials,” Ahmadinejad said.
“We have always been in favour of talks. Iran is ready today to hold talks based on justice and mutual respect,” he added.
Washington said it could not confirm AhmadinejadÂ’s announcement.
“Obviously it has been some time since our last p5+1 talks. We’ve been quite clear on what we are looking for. But we do support this dialogue, and as we’ve said often there’s two tracks here and the door does remain open,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing.