MP optimistic about future of Iran-powers talks after June election

A senior Iranian lawmaker voiced optimism about future talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) after the June presidential election in Iran."Iran and the Group 5+1 are determined to continue talks and I think after Iran's election this trend will be pursued in a good manner and will bear relative results," member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani told FNA on Saturday.Reiterating the importance of Iran's presidential election in the fate of the talks, the lawmaker noted that even the six world powers made a mention of the election in their recent talks with Tehran in Almaty, Kazakhstan.Last week, Iran and the six world powers wrapped up their 4th round of talks after two days of intensive negotiations in Almaty.The Iranian team was led by Iran's Top Negotiator Saeed Jalili, who is also the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), and the G5+1's representatives were presided by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.Analysts believe that the continuation of talks depends on the upcoming presidential election in Iran and before June voting nothing substantial will take place under the present conditions.Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast described the latest round of talks with the world powers in Kazakhstan as "positive", and said Tehran is waiting for the opposite side's response to its proposals."The two sides' comments described as positive the start of straightforward and serious expression of views, and to take a correct step, our officials expressed their views and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) should now respond," Mehman-Parast said at a weekly press conference in Tehran."We are (now) waiting for Mrs. Ashton's response and her consultations with the G5+1," he added.Iran had announced a day prior to the start of the talks that it would enter the negotiations with the G5+1 with clear, groundbreaking proposals.Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the West's hardline stance on Tehran.Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. The United States and the European Union have ratcheted up their sanctions on Iran this year to force it to curb its nuclear program.Iranian officials have always shrugged off the sanctions, saying that pressures make them strong and reinvigorate their resolve to further move towards self-sufficiency.