Iran, P5+1 group to continue talks in Kazakhstan after expert level negotiations

Iran and P5+1 group agreed to hold another round of nuclear talks in Kazakhstan, after the negotiations on an expert level in Istanbul, Fars News Agency reported.

Iran and P5+1 group have wrapped up the nuclear negotiations in Kazakhstan today after two days of talks.

RIA Novosti reported citing Russian Deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov, that the expert talks between the sides will be held in Istanbul on 17-18 March.

Ryabkov added that the Six powers negotiating with Iran, are ready to soften the sanctions against Iran and refrain from imposing new ones if Iran stops uranium enrichment at the Fordo nuclear plant, according to RIA Novosti.

Iran's team of nuclear negotiators headed by Secretary of the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Feb. 24.

In 2012, representatives of P5+1 group and Iran held three rounds of talks in Istanbul (April 14), Baghdad (May 23-24) and Moscow (June18-19). None of these meetings resulted in breakthroughs on disputed nuclear issues.

Previously talks between the "Six Powers" and Iran were not conducted for over a year.

The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.

Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including Iran, to the right of uranium enrichment, Tehran is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment.