Ashton hopes talks with Iran can advance ' very soon'

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton voiced hope about talks with Iran, saying that negotiations with Iran could move forward very soon. “I write to tell you that, together with the G5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China plus Germany), I stand ready to continue talks to find a resolution to Iran's nuclear issue as quickly as possible," Ashton, who represents the six world powers in the comprehensive talks with Tehran, wrote in a Tuesday letter to Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani. "I hope that we can schedule meaningful talks with your negotiating team as soon as practicable," Ashton said. The diplomat added that the G5+1 expect that Iran would “soon” appoint a new negotiating team, so the talks can resume “as soon as possible”. On April 6, Iran and the six world powers wrapped up their 4th round of talks after two days of intensive negotiations in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Iranian team was led by Iran's top negotiator Saeed Jalili, who is also the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), and the G5+1's representatives were presided by Ashton. Iran had announced a day prior to the start of the talks that it would enter the negotiations with the G5+1 with clear, groundbreaking proposals. Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the west's hardline stance on Tehran. Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. The United States and the European Union have ratcheted up their sanctions on Iran this year to force it to curb its nuclear program. Iranian officials have always shrugged off the sanctions, saying that pressures make them strong and reinvigorate their resolve to further move towards self-sufficiency. Russia unlike the western members of the G5+1 reiterates on the necessity for recognition of Iran's right of uranium enrichment. Senior Russian officials have on several occasions emphasized the need for progress in Iran's nuclear case and the relevant negotiations on the basis of mutual cooperation and respect.