Russia Says Iran Nuclear Talks Set for Feb. 18 in New York
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The next round of negotiations between Iran and the six major world powers on Tehran’s nuclear program will be held in New York on February 18, a Russian diplomat said on Friday.
“Agreement has been reached that the next meeting at the level of ‘political directors’ will take place on February 18 in New York,” Interfax news agency quoted Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s security and disarmament department, as saying.
In the meantime, Reuters quoted the European Union as saying on Friday that the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) and Iran are still discussing when and where to convene the fresh round of talks.
“Discussions on the timing and venue for the next round of talks with Iran are still ongoing. When a decision is taken, we will announce it," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
On November 24, 2013, Iran and the Group 5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) signed a six-month deal on Tehran’s nuclear program in Geneva after several rounds of tight negotiations.
Based on the interim deal (the Joint Plan of Action), the world powers agreed to suspend some non-essential sanctions and to impose no new nuclear-related bans in return for Tehran's decision to suspend its 20% enrichment for a period of six months.
The breakthrough deal, which has come into effect since January 20, stipulates that over the course of six months, Iran and the six countries will draw up a comprehensive nuclear deal which will lead to a lifting of the whole sanctions on Iran.
