Editor's note: details were added (first version was posted at 18:49)
Iran's uranium enrichment program and the right of the country to acquire nuclear technologies are not the subject of discussion at the talks in Istanbul, deputy secretary of the press-service of the National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abulfazl Zohrehvand was quoted by Iranian news agency IRNA as saying.
The previous round of talks on Iran's nuclear program between the "Six" (the permanent members of UN Security Council - the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany) and Iran after a 14-month break was conducted in December 2010 in Geneva. An agreement was reached to hold the next round of talks on Jan. 21, 2011.
The talks were held on Friday in Istanbul. The talks with Iran were attended by delegations of the Six. The meeting was presided over by the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. The first day of deliberations ended. Continuation of negotiations is scheduled for tomorrow.
According to Zohrehvand who participated in the negotiations, the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere. "Discussions were held in a positive atmosphere and will continue until tomorrow evening," said Zohravend.
"We are not negotiating on the old and the last remaining issues. Everyone knows that the pressure is no longer effective. Repetition of the old position and the pressure will give the opposite result. They should know that the position of the Iranian people is invariable," said Zohravend.
The United States and other Western countries accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons for military purposes under the guise of a peaceful nuclear energy program. Tehran denies the charges, saying that its nuclear program is aimed solely at meeting the country's electricity needs. The U.N. Security Council adopted six resolutions in connection with the suspension of Iran's nuclear program. Four involve the use of economic sanctions on Iran.