Speaking to Khabar Online , Kowsari stated that he does not know whether Baghdad has been chosen as a venue for the next round of Iranian officials' nuclear talks with the 5+1 group (consisted of the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) or not.
"I have not been informed of the latest developments on the issue and have not pursued the news. However the venue for nuclear talks is supposed to be announced after the consultation of Mr. Jalili with Mr. Ahmadinejad comes to end," he said.
The senior MP had already censured Turkish government during a visit to Azerbaijan: “Turkey serves as the United States and Israel’s messenger and mediator. The Turkish government will be hated by its citizens if it continues this role.”
Kowsari traveled to Baku to investigate recent reports that Azerbaijan had given Israeli permission for its bases to be used by the Israeli Air Force in an attack on Iran.
At a news conference held on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also remarked: "The issue of holding our negotiations with the 5+1 group in Baghdad or China was raised and President Ahmadinejad will discuss the issue with the secretary of Supreme National Security Council Sa’eed Jalili. However, the possible host should be approved by both parties."
Earlier in January Salehi had named Istanbul as the host of the next round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six world powers. But due to what Iranian officials call "unfulfilled agreements" from the side of Turkey, they decided to relocate the venue.
In recent years, Turkey has played an active role in arbitrating disputes between Iran and the West powers on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and has always backed Iran's positions on the issue.
Ankara says it is interested to resolve the problem through diplomatic methods as soon as possible. At the same time, it has reiterated that the cooperation of Tehran with the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would contribute to settle the dispute.
However, at the moment the main point of difference between the two neighboring countries is the ongoing crisis in Syria where thousands of people have been killed during clashes since the beginning of the turmoil and antigovernment protests in March, 2011.
Ankara has joined the West on imposing economic sanctions on Damascus. On December 9 Turkey's Customs and Trade Minister said that the government is expected to approve the suspension of a free trade agreement with Syria.
Furthermore, Turkey in line with the West and majority of Arabian countries has recognized the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) as a legitimate representative of all Syrians against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
On the other hand, the Islamic Republic of Iran has protested Turkish government's alignment with the US and EU’s policies against Syria, because the Arabian republic has sided with Palestinian Jihad groups which are resisting against the Zionist regime of Israel.
Iran's Majlis (parliament) passed a bill in December on free trade with Syria to back the Arabian republic which is hit by the West's economic sanctions amid local armed clashes.
In the late March, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a two-day visit to Tehran, and held discussions with top Islamic Republic of Iran’s officials, although the meetings did not seem to be so much constructive.
Therefore, Iranian politicians have changed their minds on the location for holding the next round of talks with the 5+1 group and speak of Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and China rather than Istanbul as possible choices.
Currently Baghdad whose government enjoys friendly ties with Iran seems to be the most possible choice from the side of the Islamic Republic for the upcoming meeting already scheduled to be held on April 13-14. Nevertheless, there has been no immediate reaction from the six world powers to the proposal for holding talks in Iraq.
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