MOSCOW. Feb 11 (Interfax) - Tehran counts on advancement towards the solution of the Iranian nuclear issue at the Almaty meeting with the P5+1, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in an interview with the Russian service of the Iranian state television and radio broadcaster.
"Hopefully, the next round, which will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, will witness advancement thanks to the assistance of such friendly countries as Russia," he said.
In his words, Tehran approves of the Moscow plan for settling the Iranian nuclear problem yet the solution is obstructed by politicization.
"Whenever a question is politicized, it is impossible to set deadlines because [the settlement] requires a political will of the sides. I told Mr. Lavrov they had a very good plan. [The plan] mostly focused on legal and technical aspects although it had a political aspect, as well. The political aspect looks problematic. But it is a step forward just the same," the Iranian foreign minister stressed.
All of the proposals are based on the principle suggested by the Russian foreign minister, Salehi said. "They are based on the phased approach and reciprocity. These two important principles of Mr. Lavrov's plan are now included in the proposals of Iran and its counterpart, and I think that is a sign of evolution. I would like to say in conclusion that the plan of Mr. Lavrov, if not the whole of it then its bigger part, and those principles are a part of the [negotiating] process," the Iranian foreign minister said.