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Obama: world powers 'hopeful' on Iran talks
by Staff Writers
Camp David Maryland (AFP) May 19, 2012

G8 'unified' on approach to Iran: Obama
Camp David (AFP) Maryland (AFP) May 19, 2012 - President Barack Obama hosting G8 leaders on Saturday said the group was unified on how to approach upcoming nuclear negotiations with Iran.

"We're unified when it comes to our approach with Iran," Obama said as he hosted G8 leaders at Camp David, adding that weaponization of the program was "something of grave concern to all of us."

Iran has said sanctions over its disputed nuclear program should be lifted in talks with world powers next week in Baghdad, but on Saturday maintained that the punitive measures would not compel it to abandon its atomic "rights."

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told state media that the lifting of sanctions would display "the first signs" that the West is changing its "wrong" approach towards Iran and its nuclear work.

Mehmanparast reiterated Tehran's assertion that the sanctions have no legal basis, but admitted "no one in Iran is happy about the sanctions" and that they "may cause problems."

But he insisted that "sanctions do not really have a significant effect."

Iran on May 23 is to meet representatives of the so-called P5+1 group, comprising the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, in Iraq's capital for the second round of talks which were revived in April in Istanbul after a 15-month impasse.


US President Barack Obama said Saturday world powers were "hopeful" about talks with Iran next week on its nuclear program, as the Islamic Republic comes under tightening sanctions.

Obama, hosting the G8 summit at Camp David, struck an unusually upbeat note on the talks in Baghdad, emphasizing that world powers agreed on how to tackle the crisis, in an implicit contrast to Iran's deepening isolation.

"We're unified when it comes to our approach with Iran," Obama said, surrounded by leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations club in his Laurel Lodge cabin at the wooded presidential retreat in Maryland.

The US leader, facing a delicate diplomatic balancing act on Iran as he runs for reelection, also warned that Iran's inability so far to convince the world its nuclear program was peaceful was "of grave concern to all of us."

He said all the leaders agreed that Iran had the right to a peaceful nuclear program, if it complied to international rules and were "hopeful" about the talks in Baghdad.

Washington says it is committed to a peaceful resolution to the nuclear crisis, but has has warned that all options, including possible military action, are on the table.

Iran had earlier offered a possible hint that punishing US and European-led sanctions may be having an impact, a factor boosting hopes among foreign powers that the Islamic Republic may take a more conciliatory approach in talks.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told state media that "no one in Iran is happy about the sanctions" and that they "may cause problems."

He insisted, however, that the measures have no legal basis and "do not really have a significant effect," as he demanded they be lifted.

Iran is due to meet representatives of the so-called P5+1 group, comprising five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, in Baghdad on Wednesday for the second round of talks revived in April after a 15-month impasse.

The New York Times reported that US negotiators were allowing themselves to have hope going into the talks, after years of painstaking and fruitless diplomacy with Iran over its contested nuclear program.

"They're nervous enough to talk. Whether they're nervous enough to act, we don't know yet," the paper quoted a senior Obama administration official as saying.

Tehran denies Western allegations its nuclear program may have a military component to develop weapons.

The Iranian economy has taken a significant blow from the gradual tightening of the sanctions since 2010, despite official assertions that the sanctions have been so far ineffective, foreign experts say.

Sanctions on the banking sector have disturbed or slowed down imports, whose cost have increased on average by 20 percent, according to Iranian importers.

Sanctions have also led to late payments to Iran from its oil sales, sometimes forcing Tehran to accept payments in the form of gold or local currencies, or to sign barter contracts.

And the European Union embargo on Iranian oil, poised to be fully implemented from July 1, is beginning to show its impact as several major customers of Iranian crude, including India, Japan and Turkey, have announced a reduction in imports.

Tehran has always denied that the sanctions have hampered its oil production and sales, claiming to have found new customers without naming them.

Several specialist websites, however, have reported in recent months a significant increase in storage of unsold crude in Iran.

And the oil cartel OPEC has reportedly said that Tehran's crude production has declined by 15 percent in the past two years.

OPEC estimates showed that Iran produced 3.2 million barrels per day in April, its lowest level in 20 years.

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Iran MPs urge P5+1 to respect 'rights' in nuclear talks
Tehran (AFP) May 20, 2012 - A majority of Iranian lawmakers on Sunday urged world powers to respect Iran's "rights" in crucial talks next week in Baghdad over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

Of the 290-member parliament, 203 MPs called on the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, the so-called P5+1 group, to also seek "co-operation" with Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The P5+1 should respect the rights of the Iranian nation," the MPs said in a statement.

"And they should ignore the Zionists' pressures and move to change their policy of confrontation to co-operation under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."

The lawmakers also advised Iran's negotiating team to "vigorously defend Iran's rights" during the May 23 meeting with representatives of the P5+1 in Iraq's capital, and warned that Iran would "respond to any political pressure."

The statement comes as Iranian officials in recent days have stepped up their assertions that they will resist any pressure during the talks.

Tehran has also asked for the lifting of Western sanctions to create a "productive" atmosphere for negotiation.

The Baghdad meeting marks the second round of talks between Iran and world powers over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme, which were revived in April in Istanbul after a 15-month impasse.

US President Barack Obama said on Saturday at the G8 summit that he was committed to pursuing a dual-approach policy of sanctions and pressure along with diplomacy to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Obama also warned that Iran's inability so far to convince the world its nuclear work was peaceful was "of grave concern."

The leaders of eight leading industrialised countries called on Iran to engage in "detailed discussions" in Baghdad that can "lead towards a comprehensive negotiated solution which restores international confidence that Irans nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful."



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Iran looks to 'delay, deceive' in atomic talks: Israel
Prague (AFP) May 18, 2012
Iran is looking to deceive the world over its nuclear programme in talks with the P5+1 group of world powers, Israel premier Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday after talks with Czech President Vaclav Klaus. "It looks as though they see the talks as another opportunity to delay and deceive and buy time, pretty much as North Korea did for many years," he said, just days ahead of the next round ... read more


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