Iran, G5+1 to Start 2nd Day of N. Talks in Geneva
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Senior diplomats representing Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) are preparing to start the second day of the fresh round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program in the Geneva today.
This is the second time in a month that the Swiss city of Geneva is hosting representatives from Iran and the group of six major world powers. They had three days of intensive talks on November 7-9.
During the previous round of talks, the two sides managed to narrow their differences on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, though there were hitches that stopped them from reaching an interim deal at the end of the talks.
The fresh round of talks began on Wednesday with a meeting between Iran’s foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, who represents the six world powers in talks with Iran.
The two top negotiators had another meeting later in the day which Zarif described as "good."
In a Wednesday message on his Facebook page, Zarif said that “serious and detailed talks” with Ashton on a potential “final agreement” will start on Thursday morning.
Iran and the G5+1 had a brief and introductory plenary session on Wednesday, focusing mainly on the process of the negotiations.
The negotiating sides have agreed to resume the nuclear talks in bilateral meetings between different delegations, at the level of deputy chief negotiators.
The first day of talks also saw the Iranian team hold separate bilateral meetings with delegations representing Russia, the US, and the three European members of the G5+1.
In the meantime, Zarif also held a one-on-one meeting with Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian representative to the talks.
The US team is headed by American lead negotiator Wendy Sherman.
And the team of Iranian negotiators includes Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi, Foreign Ministry's Director-General for the Economic and Specialized International Affairs Hamid Ba'eedinejad, Foreign Minister's Legal Adviser Davoud Mohammadnia, and Mohammad Amiri from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
And ahead of the beginning of tight nuclear negotiation on Thursday, Zarif had a working breakfast with the heads of international organizations that are located in Geneva.
Iran's foreign minister and Cathrine Ashton have held another meeting on Thursday morning.
As American officials met with their counterparts from the G5+1 and Iran in Geneva, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that all sides are closer than they have been in a long time on a nuclear deal. But they stressed it has not been reached yet.
