Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and major powers, leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said he is not opposed to the nuclear talks.

However, he voiced skepticism about the negotiations and said they will lead nowhere.

"Iran will never bow to the global hegemony's bullying tactics," Khamenei said on 17 February.

Iran's leader rejected any attempts to portray the U.S. government as caring and humanitarian, saying any such efforts are futile.

Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear negotiating team led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has gone to the Austrian capital of Vienna for the next round of talks with P5+1.

P5+1will be represented by US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, British Foreign Office Political Director Simon Gass, French Foreign Ministry Political Director Jacques Audibert, German Foreign Ministry Advisor Hans-Dieter Lucas, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov, and China's representative Wang Min.

Zarif is scheduled to meet EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who represents P5+1 during the nuclear talks, on 17 February.

The upcoming talks will focus on new and advanced centrifuges and the Arak heavy water reactor.

Negotiations are aimed at reaching a comprehensive accord on Iran's nuclear energy program after the two sides clinched a landmark interim deal last November.

Under the Geneva deal, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no nuclear-related sanctions will be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.