Turkey Says Iran Nuclear Talks May Resume in April

Moribund talks between Iran and world powers over the Islamic republic's controversial nuclear program may resume in April at the latest, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said.

"I have the belief that the negotiations ... might take place in a month's time, in April at the latest," Davutoglu was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency, citing an interview with state-run TRT Haber late Tuesday.

"If they prefer Turkey, we always host them and do our best," he said.

Davutoglu noted that he would meet with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Salehi, next week.

The last round of talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group – U.N. Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- collapsed in Istanbul in January 2011.

The United Nations and the West have imposed a raft of sanctions on Iran in an unsuccessful effort to force it to halt its atomic activities.

The Western measures have badly impacted Iran's economy, but Tehran has responded by ramping up its uranium enrichment.

Turkey has repeatedly said it is only bound by U.N. Security Council sanctions against Tehran and favors a diplomatic solution to the dispute.