MP Hossein Naqavi-Hosseini has said that Iran is waiting for the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) to take confidence-building measures to help advance the process of talks.

“In addition to permitting numerous inspections, the Islamic Republic has answered all questions and (cleared up) ambiguities, and has always welcomed proposals to hold negotiations, so now the 5+1 group should take confidence-building steps,” Naqavi-Hosseini, who is the rapporteur of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the Persian Service of ISNA on Monday.

The latest round of high-level talks between Tehran and the six major powers was held in Moscow on June 18 and 19. No date has been set for a new round of talks.

The MP also said that the only way to resolve Iran’s nuclear issue is the continuation of talks, so Iran does not welcome an end to negotiations.

On new sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States and the European Union, Naqavi-Hosseini said that it is not a right approach to increase sanctions while negotiations are underway, adding, “The 5+1 group should lift sanctions as the first step toward confidence-building.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, he criticized the U.S. for adopting an unconstructive approach during the Moscow talks and said that whenever Iran and the major powers are close to reaching an agreement, the U.S. tries to scuttle the process of talks through creating a commotion and making unfounded claims.

isna/281