Iran has no plan for nuclear talks with Israel

Tehran: Iran`s foreign minister says his country will not enter nuclear talks with its arch-enemy Israel. A report on Friday by official IRNA news agency quotes Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying "We will not attend a meeting in which the occupying regime participates."

Iran refers to Israel as an occupying regime because it controls territories claimed by Palestinians. The report said Zarif`s remarks were in response to possible Israeli participation in talks between Iran and world powers over Tehran`s nuclear ambitions. Last weekend Iran agreed to freeze parts of its nuclear programme in return for the easing of Western sanctions. Israel and the West suspect Iran`s nuclear programme has military dimension, a charge Iran denies. Iran does not recognise Israel and supports militant anti- Israeli groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.