Juppe sees sanctions on Iran, Davutoglu says all sides willing to talk

A meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for on Monday is expected to agree an oil embargo against Iran and a freeze on the assets of its central bank, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Thursday.    

"On Monday, at the EU meeting we will be able to come to an agreement on a sanctions package in these two areas," Juppe told journalists after meeting his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd.    

Rudd said that countries which continue to import Iranian oil should bear in mind that world powers sought to apply pressure on Tehran to shift its position on uranium enrichment.   

Meanwhile, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday that all sides are willing to resume negotiations to defuse a brewing crisis over Iran's nuclear program but the time and place need to be settled.    

Iranian negotiators last met counterparts from six world powers in Istanbul a year ago, and Turkey has played a leading role in trying to bring Iran back to the table.    

Addressing a joint news conference with Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Davutoglu said: "We have to understand that both parties are willing to resume negotiations."

Reuters