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Iran welcomes P5+1 invite

DUBAI: Iran has welcomed talks with world powers including the U.S. to ease tensions surrounding its nuclear programme.

Iran’s chief negotiator on the nuclear issue, Saeed Jalili, welcomed European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana’s invitation for talks with the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany during a telephonic conversation.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will issue an official statement in response to the P5+1 statement,” Mr. Jalili told Mr. Solana. The decision to revive talks was made after U.S. President Barack Obama broke from the policy of the Bush administration, and declared that Washington would participate in talks over Iran’s nuclear programme.

On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran was ready to hold talks with the West, provided the dialogue was based on “justice and respect”.

The U.S. and Israel have alleged that Iran’s uranium enrichment activities are linked to a nuclear weapons programme.

Iran has strongly denied these allegations.

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