ISTANBUL - Iran gave no sign of making concessions to world powers bent on coaxing it to curb its nuclear programme at talks on Friday, saying it would not discuss suspending sensitive uranium enrichment. The two days of talks in Istanbul are a follow-up to talks last month in Geneva, the first held in more than a year.Impatient with what some analysts have called IranÂ’s zigzag diplomacy, the powers are looking for a clear sign from Tehran that it is ready to engage in a way that helps engender trust, even if there is no substantive progress.
Iran’s National Security Council issued a statement, quoted by Iranian television, saying the first session of talks on Friday was held in a “positive atmosphere”. Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili is the council’s secretary general.
One of JaliliÂ’s aides in Istanbul drew a red line round its enrichment activities during the meeting. Uranium enriched to a low degree yields fuel for electricity or, if refined to a very high level, the fissile core of a nuclear bomb.
“We will not allow any talks linked to freezing or suspending Iran’s enrichment activities to be discussed at the meeting in Istanbul,” Abolfazl Zohrevand said.
“So far this issue has not been discussed, has not been raised or mentioned by the other party,” Zohrevand said. “Iran’s nuclear rights cannot be discussed.”
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