Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that he is optimistic about the Istanbul talks between Iran and the six major powers. 

 

“We with (U.S. Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton talked about the situation around Iran’s nuclear program. We place certain hopes on the meeting of the six parties and Iranian representatives, which will be held in Istanbul on April 14,” Lavrov told reporters aboard the plane on the flight from Washington to Moscow, according to Russia and India Report. 

 

“We, as well as the United States, have concrete ideas on how to move stage by stage and on condition of mutuality that is on the action for action basis. Iran makes a step and the Group of Six meets halfway to the Iranian concerns,” the Russian foreign minister Lavrov noted. 

 

He also said, “The Iranian negotiators stated before the meeting in Istanbul that they would come with new initiatives on the situation settlement. I think it is not a bad approach.” 

 

The Syrian Arab news agency also quoted Lavrov as saying on Friday that the participants in the negotiations should resort to diplomacy to gradually remove concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. 

 

He added that the Russian delegation will take part in the meeting with the ultimate goal of removing concerns over the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program and will exercise the arts of diplomacy to coordinate the structure and the process toward reaching this goal. 

 

China wishes for good start for Iran-5+1 talks 

 

Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, Beijing’s representative to the renewed talks on Iran’s nuclear program, expressed hope on Thursday that the negotiations will be re-launched with a good start, the NAM News Network reported. 

 

Speaking upon arrival at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport for the talks, he said that China played a constructive role in reconciling concerned parties and persuading them into reviving the talks.

 

He added that China had three expectations for the upcoming event, the first being that the talks would be re-launched with a good start and proceed in a constructive and sustainable way. 

 

Secondly, Ma explained, China expected all sides to respect one another, tolerate the other sides’ concerns and make efforts to create a conducive environment for the talks. 

 

Lastly, all parties should be rational, flexible, and pragmatic, and try to achieve positive results by seeking common ground in spite of their differences, he stated.  

 

However, the Iran nuclear issue is complicated and cannot be resolved in a short time, he noted, and hence all parties should be optimistic and patient no matter what complication occurs during the process. 

 

Ma said that China would maintain an active and constructive attitude towards the new round of talks and do its part to promote the effort. 

 

5+1 will study Iran’s demands: Clinton

 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday that the six major powers will take into consideration assurances or actions that Iran will demand during the Istanbul talks.  

 

“We are looking for concrete results. And of course, in a negotiation, we understand that the Iranians will be asking for assurances or actions from us and we will certainly take those under consideration,” Clinton said, without providing details, according to Reuters. 

 

“We want to get started this weekend and we will certainly proceed in a very expeditious, diligent manner (and in) a sustained way to determine whether there is the potential for an agreement,” she added.