Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says he will leave Tehran for Germany on Saturday to take part in the 49th Munich Security Conference.

“The Munich Security Conference is held annually and the Islamic Republic of Iran will participate in the conference this year at the foreign ministerial level,” Salehi told reporters on Friday.

During the three-day event in Munich, the participants are scheduled to discuss leading issues, including the ongoing crises in Mali, Egypt and Syria.

Developments in the Muslim and Arab world over the past two years after the Islamic Awakening and the withdrawal of US-led foreign soldiers from war-torn Afghanistan by the end of 2014 are also among key themes to be discussed at the annual event.

In response to a question about the date and the venue of talks between Iran and the six major world powers (P5+1), the minister said no new development has taken place in this regard.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the P5+1 -- the United States, France, Russia, Britain, China, and Germany -- in talks with Iran over its nuclear energy program, is also expected to attend the conference.

On Thursday, Ashton expressed confidence that there would soon be a meeting between Iran and the P5+1.

On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign minister said no new date or venue has been set for the next round of talks between Iran and the P5+1.

Iran and the P5+1 have held several rounds of talks with a focus on Iran’s nuclear energy program. The last round of negotiations between Iran and the group was held in Moscow in June 2012.

The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
isna/281

News ID 184119