Iran announces nuclear talks and desire to be part of the Syrian solution

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Sunday that fresh talks with world powers on Iran's nuclear drive would be held in Kazakhstan on February 25.

"I have good news, I heard yesterday that 5+1 or EU3+3 will be meeting in Kazakhstan 25th of February," Salehi said during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference.

Iran and six world powers -- the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- held three rounds of talks last year aimed at resolving the standoff over Iran's nuclear activities.

Reacting to an offer by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Munich on Saturday to hold two-way talks with Iran on its nuclear programme, Salehi said Washington must come to the table with "authentic intention."

"We have no red line for negotiations, bilateral negotiations when it comes to negotiating over a particular subject," he said.

"If the subject is the nuclear file, yes we are ready for negotiation but we have to make sure... that the other side this time comes with authentic intention," he said.

Also at the Munich conference, Salehi spoke with the Syrian opposition leader and said Iran could contribute to finding a solution to the war in the country.

Salehi said Syrian National Coalition chief Moaz al-khatib told him he would be willing to talk with representatives of the Syrian government if prisoners were released signified "a good step forward".

"If we want to stop the bloodshed we cannot continue putting the blame on one side," Salehi told the Munich Security Conference, adding that he was ready to talk again to the opposition and wanted to be "part of the solution."