Zarif Leaves for Davos to Attend World Economic Forum, Hold Talks with G5+1 Diplomats

The Iranian top diplomat will attend the 45th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

On the sidelines of the forum, he is scheduled to hold talks with his counterparts from the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) as well as European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear energy program.

Earlier this week, Zarif said the forum in Davos will provide an opportunity to have “short discussions” on Iran’s civil nuclear program with top diplomats of the Group 5+1, including US Secretary of State John Kerry.

“The concurrence of my and John Kerry’s presence in the meeting will be short, so it is possible that I will meet Kerry or other members of the (Group) 5+1, but it will be a short meeting,” he explained.

Last week, Iran and the Group 5+1(also known as the P5+1 or E3+3) wrapped up the latest round of negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, with the next round slated for early February.

Negotiations between Iran and the Group 5+1 aim to hammer out a final agreement to end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.

Meanwhile, nuclear negotiating teams from Iran and the United States are scheduled to hold talks on Friday and Saturday, January 23-24 in the Swiss city of Zurich.