As Iranian officials have taken different stances on the Islamic republic's recent negotiations with 5+1 group, the secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei says Baghdad meeting was an achievement in nuclear talks.

As Khabar Online's political correspondent reported, Rezaei who attended the Conference of Opportunities and Initiatives of Investment in Iran 2012 held in Job Creating School of Tehran University yesterday, commented on the latest dialogues between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the six world powers.
 
"We should look upon the next round of these talks optimistically and broad our political horizon. I'm also optimistic that constructive steps will be taken in the upcoming negotiations of Iran with 5+1 group in Moscow," he said.
 
He rejected the idea of those who believe the latest round of dialogue with 5+1 group, comprised of the United States, Russia, the UK, France, China plus Germany, came to no result.
 
"Such analysis is not correct, because at least both parties agreed to cooperate with each other and pursue their talks which is a step forward."
 
The advisor on foreign affairs to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayati had earlier said although the envoys of 5+1 group in the Baghdad meeting proved that they are ready to negotiate on Iranian nuclear program, but their plan for the event was vague.
 
Former Iran's Foreign Minister had made his remarks on the sidelines of a conference on developments in the Middle East and the future of regional order held in Tehran on Tuesday.
 
However, the other key part of Rezaei's remarks which will be possibly provoke responses in the forthcoming days is his idea about 5+1 group which he regards it as "the whole world."
 
"From the beginning, the ninth government of the Islamic Republic of Iran [the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] based its foreign policy on boosting ties with the East and gradually the relation of Iran with Europe was downgraded,” he stated.
 
“On the contrary, during the term of the reformist administration [headed by Mohammad Khatami] the Islamic Republic's tie with Europe was in "the honeymoon period," the secretary of the Expediency Council said.
 
Reza'ei was the chief commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from 1981 to 1997 and led the guards in the turbulent years of Iraq's imposed war against Iran known in the country as 'sacred defense'.
 
Following his remarks, he stressed that Iran should adopt an active and stable diplomacy, "As a matter of fact, in our nuclear negotiations we are vis-à-vis the entire world, since 5+1 group in which the United States is a member represents all countries,”
 
“Holding negotiations with this group is more reliable and the result of negotiations will be more enduring, since we do not just talk with a president or a country. This way, even if for example Barack Obama was replaced, the result of our nuclear negotiations will still be valid for him,” former IRGC top commander suggested.
 
After holding prolonged talks with the envoys of 5+1 group, chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said that the dialogues on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program in Baghdad was comprehensive but remained unfinished.
 
The EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton who represented the six world powers had previously said that it is clear that both sides want to make progress, and that there is some common ground. However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, both sides agreed on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground.
 
The next round of talks on Iran's nuclear program is scheduled to be held on June 18 and 19 in Moscow.
 281
News ID 181863