Iran positive for holding nuclear talks in Turkey

Speaker of Iran's Majles (parliament) ALi Larijani said on Thursday that his country was positive for holding nuclear negotiations in neighboring Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with visiting Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Ankara, capital of Turkey, on Jan. 12, 2012. [Xinhua/Anadolu Agency]

"Our Turkish brothers think that negotiations should take place in Turkey, and of course we are positive for holding these talks in Turkey," Larijani said at a press conference in Iran's embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara, adding Iran wanted nuclear negotiations to be serious this time.

Larijani said perspectives of Turkish and Iranian leaders on regional problems were close, and Turkey and Iran were of the same opinion about strategic issues.

During his visit to Tehran last Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Iranian counterpart Ali-Akbar Salehi held a joint press conference, at which the Iranian foreign minister said that Turkey had announced its readiness to host a new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers.

The Turkish foreign minister's visit to Tehran came as some Western countries were pressing sanctions on Iran, forcing Tehran to step up the resumption of nuclear talks.

The West suspects that Iran's uranium enrichment may be aimed at producing nuclear weapons, a claim denied by Iranian officials.

Turkey hosted a round of nuclear talks in January 2011 between Iran and G5+1, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, but the two sides failed to reach any agreement.