Ashton urges US to create best ambiance for Iran talks
The European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says the United States needs to create the best possible atmosphere for the next round of talks between Iran and the six major world powers in Geneva.
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"In any thinking about that, those who are making the law here or those in control of the negotiations from the US end ... (US Secretary of State John) Kerry and his team will have to think about how to make sure that it's the best possible atmosphere," she said in response to a question during a Washington think-tank appearance on Monday.
The top EU official further noted that there is a need to show willingness and good faith to sit down and talk.
Ashton added that she would like to attend the upcoming nuclear talks with Iran with “the best possible atmosphere.”
“I would like to get to Geneva with the best possible atmosphere to really have these negotiations. And that means, in all sorts of ways, we need to show willingness and good faith to sit down and talk and expect the same in return,” she stated.
Ashton said on September 26 that six major powers and Iran have agreed to meet in Geneva on October 15 and 16 for further talks on resolving the standoff with Tehran on its nuclear energy program.
She made the remarks following the meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and counterparts from the P5+1 countries -- United States, France, Russia, China and Britain plus Germany -- on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Ashton described the meeting as substantial and energetic.
Kerry called the talks “constructive," saying, "We've agreed to try to continue a process that would try to make concrete and find a way to answer the questions that people have about Iran's nuclear program."
Zarif also praised the talks as "very good and substantive" and said the result would have to include "a total lifting" of all sanctions against Iran.
“We hope to be able to make progress to solve this issue in a timely fashion [and] to make sure [there is] no concern that Iran's program is anything but peaceful," the Iranian foreign minister added.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that the Iranian nuclear program has been diverted toward military objectives.
