Negotiator: Iran Ready to Start Expert-Level N. Talks with Sextet
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator said representatives from the Islamic Republic and the six major world powers are set to begin a new round of expert-level talks on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program in Austria on Wednesday.
The Austrian capital of Vienna will bring delegates from Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, the US, Britain, China, France and Germany) together for the new round of expert-level negotiations, which are expected to extend over three days, until March 7.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 15th session of Iran’s Assembly of Experts here in Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi, who is also a senior nuclear negotiator, said the forthcoming talks will be held within the framework of the final step of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear case.
Araqchi also announced that Iran will be represented by Hamid Baeedinejad, the director general for political and international affairs at the country’s foreign ministry.
“The (upcoming) talks are indeed technical and expert negotiations and a prelude to the talks slated for March 17-20, which will be attended by our country’s foreign minister, the European Union foreign policy chief and the G5+1 political leaders,” Araqchi explained.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton liaises with Iran on behalf of the Group 5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) in diplomatic efforts related to Tehran's peaceful nuclear case.
Iran and the world powers wrapped up their latest round of nuclear talks in the Austrian capital on February 20.
The negotiating parties are gearing up for a meeting of political directors on March 17, following the negotiations among technical experts to be held tomorrow.
The most recent negotiations in Vienna were follow-up to earlier talks in the Swiss city of Geneva, which resulted in a landmark interim deal between Iran and the six powers on November 24, 2013.
Based on the Geneva 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, also 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.
