Iran welcomes Istanbul as venue for nuclear talks

Jan 13, 2012, 9:06 GMT

Tehran - Iran has welcomed Istanbul as the venue for the next round of nuclear talks with world powers, the ISNA news agency reported on Friday.

'Our Turkish friends want the next nuclear talks to be held in Istanbul and we welcome it,' said Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, who is visiting Turkey.

The last round of nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - was in Istanbul.

That round of talks ended without a breakthrough after Iran rejected a demand by the powers that it suspends uranium enrichment.

Iran has said that its position would be unchanged at the talks.

Larijani said Iran would soon disclose new nuclear achievements but gave no further details.

It is widely expected that on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran would start the operational phase of the new uranium enrichment site of Fordo, south of the capital Tehran.

Fordo, the second enrichment site besides the main site of Natanz in central Iran, is supposed to enrich uranium at up to 20 per cent.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog agency said that the site was operational. However, Iranian officials say the site would be operational next month after necessary tests are completed.

A team from the watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is scheduled to visit Iran later this month to inspect the Fordo site.