Iran has said it will present new proposals at fresh nuclear talks with the world's major powers when they meet later this week in Istanbul.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said on Wednesday that his country would offer "new initiatives" during negotiations with the US, France, Germany, China, Russia and Britain, the group known as P5+1.
"Iran's representatives will participate in the negotiations with new initiatives and we hope that the P5+1 countries will also enter talks with constructive approaches," said Jalili in quotes carried by the English-language state television, Press TV.
"The language of threat and pressure against the Iranian nation has never yielded results but will lead to more seriousness in the attitude of the Iranian nation," he added. "We are ready to hold progressive and successful talks on cooperation." Jalili is the secretary of Iran's supreme national security council.
Jalili's comments came after Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, the head of Iran's atomic nuclear organisation signalled on Monday that the Islamic republic could stop enriching uranium at 20%, one of the main issues of concern for the west.
However, there was no indication that Iran would agree to transfer its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium outside the country. The west is worried that Iran might enrich its current stockpile of as high as 90%, making it weapons-grade strength.
According to Abbasi-Davani, Iran enriched uranium at 20% for use in a research reactor and does not intend to continue to do so in its long-term plan.
Westerns diplomats believe Iran's recent communications with the office of Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, indicate a strong willingness from to resume negotiations, which they believe might be the result of western economic sanctions against the country.
Whether Iran's words translate into action in Istanbul, remains to be seen.
