Iran, World Powers to Resume in Vienna for Nuclear Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Negotiators representing Iran and the group of six world powers were scheduled to hold a meeting in the Austrian capital on Thursday over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
Political directors from Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) will reportedly discuss the outstanding issues in connection with Tehran’s civilian nuclear activities in the upcoming gathering.
The new round of negotiations in Vienna, which began on Tuesday, was initially designed as trilateral talks between top diplomats from Iran, the US, and the EU.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State John Kerry and European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton held a trilateral meeting to discuss the ways for reaching a final nuclear deal.
The talks are aimed at ironing out differences and secure an agreement between Tehran and the G5+1 (alternatively known as the P5+1 or E3+3) to put an end to the West’s 12-year-old standoff on Tehran’s nuclear case.
The negotiations were then agreed to extend into Thursday at Iran’s suggestion.
“We believe that the presence of the entire 5+1 members is necessary to come up with a solution and it is very good to use this opportunity on Thursday to reach a common point,” Zarif told reporters on Tuesday after a bilateral meeting with Ashton.