Brussels, 04/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - New discussions between the big powers and Iran on the Iranian nuclear programme will open in New York on 18 September, announced Michael Mann, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Thursday 4 September.
“The discussions between the countries of the 5+5 Group and Iran, led by the high representative [Ashton], will continue in New York as of 18 September”, said Mann. These discussions will be held at political leaders' level, he said.
On Monday, the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, met Ashton in Brussels, as part of his European tour. He was said to be “quite optimistic” as to the possibility of Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council member countries (USA, France, UK, Russia and China) plus Germany reaching an agreement before the November deadline.
After Monday's meeting, “there will be bilateral meetings between the Europeans and Iran, as between the USA and Iran, at political leaders' level”, said Mann. Discussions between the Europeans and Iran will be held on 11 September in Vienna, he said.
The US and Iran were due to resume their talks in Geneva on Thursday 4 September. The US delegation, led by Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns and Under-SAecretary Wendy Sherman, will meet the Iranian representatives on Thursday and Friday, said the US Department of State.
The 5+1 and Iran concluded an interim agreement for six months, which was renewable, and which entered into force on 20 January. In July, they gave themselves another four months, until 24 November, to seal a definitive agreement which should ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme in exchange for the total lifting of Western and UN sanctions. The Western powers and Israel suspect Iran of wanting to have atomic weapons, while Tehran states that its programme is purely civil. (LC)