Iraq optimistic about Iran-P5+1 talks in Baghdad

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Mohammad Majed al-Sheikh also descried Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s visit to Tehran as important.

“This visit is of special significance because Baghdad is due to host a new round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 group,” he told Press TV.

“In the Baghdad meeting, there will be no talks of threats and members of the P5+1 group will take part in the talks with an understanding that Iran has a right to develop nuclear energy,” the ambassador added.

Maliki arrived in Tehran on Sunday in his first official visit to Iran after his reelection as prime minister.

On the first day of his visit, Maliki held talks with Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi on bilateral issues and regional developments.

He also met President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Parliament speaker Ali Larijani.

Iran and the P5+1 group -- Russia, China, France, Britain, and the US plus Germany -- wrapped up two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey earlier this month and agreed to hold the next round of talks in Baghdad on May 23.

The EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton described the talks as useful and constructive, saying that Iran has the right to have a civilian nuclear energy program.