G5+1 Offers to Take Tangible Steps in Next 6 Months

"The Group 5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) proposed that some tangible steps be taken in the next 6 months to build confidence, and certain proposals were presented in this regard," Jalili said in a press conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after two days of talks with the world powers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Iranian top negotiator said that during the talks "Tehran emphasized that the steps should be taken concurrently and in a balanced way and that the proposals shouldn't violate Iran's rights"

"Yesterday, the other side presented some proposals in response to some of the main items of Iran's proposals (offered to the world powers in Moscow)," he said, referring to the first round of talks in Rixos hotel in Almaty.

"Certain points in this response were more realistic compared to the past and effort has been made to come closer to Iran's viewpoints," Jalili added.

"It was decided that the experts meeting be held in Istanbul on March 17-18 and the political meeting will be held in Almaty again on April 6," he said.

"We assume the talks as a positive step which can be completed with a constructive approach and reciprocal steps," Iran's lead negotiator concluded.

The first round of talks between Iran and the G5+1 was held in Almaty's Rixos Hotel in the Kazakh city of Almaty yesterday. The second and last round of the fresh talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 ended earlier today.

Jalili headed the Islamic Republic's negotiating delegation. The G5+1's representatives were led by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Before Almaty meetings, Iran and the G5+1 held three rounds of talks in Geneva, two rounds in Istanbul, one round in Baghdad and one round in Moscow. The last round of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 was held in Moscow in June.
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