Iranian suspicion grows over Turkey's regional role

A senior Iranian political figure has spoken out against Turkey hosting Iran's next talks with world powers on its disputed nuclear program in the latest anti-Turkish broadside from politicians in Tehran, Fars news agency reported late on Monday.   

Last month Turkey offered Istanbul as the venue for talks expected to take place on April 13, a proposal which appeared to gather momentum last week when Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Istanbul would be "the best option".  

Turkey has repeatedly backed Iran's right to develop peaceful nuclear technology. The United States and its allies suspect Tehran of covertly working on nuclear weapons and have imposed tough new sanctions on its financial and energy sectors.   

Tehran, which says its nuclear activities are purely peaceful, has agreed to renewed talks with the five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - and Germany this month.   

Once-warm Iranian-Turkish ties have cooled over the past year due to the popular revolt in Syria, Iran's closest Arab ally and a steadfast backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.   

Turkey, a former friend of Assad, has demanded he halt a bloody crackdown on his opponents and step down.   

"Given the fact that our friends in Turkey have failed to fulfill some of our agreements, the talks... had better be held in another friendly country," said former presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaie, Fars News reported.   

Speaking to staff of the Economic Cooperation Organization, a regional trade body with offices in Tehran, Rezaie did not specify what Turkey's failures were, but said that Baghdad, Damascus or Beirut would be a more suitable venue.   

"Offering Istanbul as the venue for the upcoming talks ... might give this wrong impression to the opposite side that Iran has grown weak and is in weak conditions," he added.   

Rezaie has been an influential figure in Iranian politics for more than three decades since he was appointed commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards, the elite force created to protect Iran's system of theocratic rule.   

Reuters