Iran says ready for fresh round of nuclear talks

ANKARA - Iran's chief negotiator said his country is ready for starting a fresh round of nuclear talks with world powers soon.

"We are ready to continue our talks whenever they are ready, before or after the presidential election in Iran," Saeed Jalili told reporters following a meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton here in Istanbul.

"The talks will take place soon," the Iranian official added.

Jalili reiterated that Iran would never give up its right to use nuclear energy in peaceful means, but it would not seek nuclear weapons.

On April 6, Iran and the P5+1 group, namely the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, held nuclear talks in Kazakhstan's capital city of Almaty, but no practical achievement was realized.