Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Iran and the six major world powers (P5+1) will meet in the Turkish city of Istanbul in late January to discuss the outstanding issues related to Tehran's nuclear energy program, a Russian official says, Press TV reported on Friday referring to RIA Novosti news agency.

An unnamed Russian source told RIA Novosti on Thursday that the next meeting between Iran and the P5+1 - Russia, China, France, Britain, France, the US and Germany -- has been provisionally scheduled for the end of January in Istanbul which hosted the first round of such talks in April 2012.

However, the source did not mention a specific date.

The last round of talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany was held in Moscow in June.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that the pause in the talks between Iran and the P5+1 has sent a "wrong signal" to the world community.

Ryabkov stated that during the Christmas holidays, Moscow proceeded with efforts to organize a schedule for Iran-P5+1 talks and expected a clear result as soon as possible.

Russia, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, has repeatedly reaffirmed Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy.

Iran and the P5+1 have held several rounds of talks with the main focus being on Iran's nuclear energy program.

The six powers have failed to achieve a breakthrough in three rounds of talks since April. But neither side has been willing to break off totally, partly because of concern this could lead to war if Israel attacked its arch-foe.

The powers last met Iran for talks in Moscow. That meeting was followed by low-level technical talks in Istanbul.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili said earlier in January that Iran has agreed to resume talks with the six major powers about its atomic program.

Besides the talks between Iran and P5+1 group, a meeting between IAEA and Iran is planned to take place, which scheduled for January 16.

However, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Yukiya Amano said he is not optimistic about talks with Iran next week on getting access to Parchin military complex, Reuters reported on Friday.

Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that Iran will allow inspectors to visit the Parchin military complex if Western countries recognize its right to enrich uranium.

Referring to the negotiations to be held in Tehran next Wednesday, Amano said "the outlook is not bright".

Amano said in Japanese comments translated into English: "Talks with Iran don't proceed in a linear way. It's one step forward, two or three steps back ... So we can't say we have an optimistic outlook" for the January 16 meeting."

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that Iran will not give up its nuclear rights, reaffirming commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the IAEA.

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 allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.