Iran open to ‘fair and authentic’ nuclear talks with US
Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (R) greets US Director of the Woodrow Wilson Intenational Center for Scholars, Jane Margaret Harman on the third day of the 49th Munich Security Conference on February 3, 2013 in Munich, southern Germany as world leaders, ministers and top military gather for talks with the spotlight on Syria, Mali and Iran.
Iran said Sunday that it is open to direct talks with the United States over its nuclear program, as long as the US has "fair and real intentions."
The comments from Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi come a day after Vice President Joe Biden said that the US would entertain bilateral negotiations in the wake of a host of UN-imposed sanctions against Iran.
"Yes we are ready for negotiations, but we have to make sure this time, and this is I think very fair of us, to make sure that the other side this time comes with authentic intentions, with a fair and real intention to resolve the issue," said Salehi, Al Jazeera English reported.
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"If there is an honest intention on the other side then we will take that into serious consideration," he said, putting the blame on the US for the stalling of earlier talks.
The next round of negotiations between the five members of the UN Security Council and Germany, who are working on dealing with Tehran's perceived nuclear threat, are scheduled for February 25 in Kazakhstan, the Washington Post reported.
Salehi confirmed the talks and called the set date "good news," but did not say whether Iran would be in attendance, BBC News reported.