Iran wants n-talks in Istanbul

Istanbul, March 30 (IANS) Iran has said it wanted the negotiations on its nuclear programme to take place in Istanbul.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Thursday conveyed this to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is currently in Tehran, Xinhua reported.

Erdogan reiterated Turkey's readiness to host the talks between Iran and the five UN Security Council members plus Germany.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said the date has been set as April 13.

The date has been set, but the negotiations for the venue are ongoing, Salehi said.

The last round of talks between the two sides was held in Istanbul in January 2011.

The UN has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear bombs.

The European Union, the US and other countries have imposed an oil embargo as part of sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country's nuclear program.

Iran earns 80 percent of its foreign revenue from oil.