As Iran prepared for a new round of talks in Turkey, it asserted that if world powers ignored Tehran’s nuclear rights and failed to bargain on equal terms, the negotiations could lead to an impasse

As Iran prepared for a new round of talks in Turkey, it asserted that if world powers ignored Tehran’s nuclear rights and failed to bargain on equal terms, the negotiations could lead to an impasse.

“All that can reinforce the idea that there is a desire to drag out the negotiations or prevent their success,” Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly briefing on Tuesday.

He told reporters that “illogical, irresponsible” western sanctions “amount to a hostile act against Iran and its national interests.” “Iran will do its utmost to defend its national interests and territorial integrity,” he added.

He also described the oil sanctions against Iran as "provocative and threatening" to the security of crude supplies, and said, "they should account for their actions and accept the consequences of such decisions which will include social and economic crises in the western countries."

Persian Gulf's Security, Iran's Top Priority

The foreign ministry spokesman described the security of the Persian Gulf, which is one of the world's key energy transit routes, as among Iran's top priorities, and said, "We enjoy sufficient ability and power to establish security in the region and security of supply and energy transit in the region."
  
Iran and the P5+1 group (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany were to hold an experts-level meeting in Istanbul over Iran’s nuclear program. The talks were to take place between technical experts after three previous rounds earlier this year, at a more senior political level, failed to bridge the vast gap dividing the two sides.

Mehmanparast said the powers’ negotiating position and the Western sanctions suggested that maybe the world powers did not want to see the talks bear fruit. "Many people are starting to conclude that maybe there are specific goals in dragging out the talks and preventing their success. One option is that perhaps there is a link with the US (presidential) election" in November, he said.

According to an EU statement, the expert-level meeting is aimed at providing further clarification of the P5+1 proposal, increasing the P5+1 understanding of the Iranian package of proposals given in Moscow, and studying the issues raised by Iran during the sessions.

"We hope Iran will seize the opportunity of this meeting to show a willingness to take concrete steps to urgently meet the concerns of the international community, to build confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and to meet its international obligations," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said earlier.