US ready for bilateral meeting with Iran in Istanbul: EU

ISTANBUL - Agence France-Presse

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, right, and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton walk before their meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. AFP photo

The U.S. delegation at crunch talks here Saturday between Iran and six world powers on Tehran's nuclear program is open to a bilateral meeting with Iranian counterparts, two European sources said.

"The Americans are open to the idea of meeting the Iranians," one Western diplomat from a European country participating in the talks in Istanbul said. "All countries have expressed interest for bilaterals," said E.U. spokesman Michael Mann.