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Middle East and North Africa

Iran and P5+1 still at odds over serious issues

One of the main disagreements concerned further uranium enrichment in Iran

© EPA/ALAIN GROSCLAUDE/EUROPEAN COMMISSION/HANDOUT

GENEVA, November 21, 17:28 /ITAR-TASS/. Iran and the P5+1 (five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany) remain at odds over serious issues, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after a three-hour meeting between and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Thursday, November 21.

He said one of the main disagreements concerned further uranium enrichment in Iran. Araghchi said Iran would not accept an agreement if it did not allow the country to enrich uranium from beginning to end.

Another obstacle is the mistrust expressed by the Iranian negotiators at the previous round of talks over the absence of a common position among the P5+1 countries.

Araghchi believes that the restoration of this trust would be critical to the success of the current talks that will last until Friday, November 22.

Michael Mann, the EU High Representative, confirmed earlier that some disagreements remained since last meeting on November 7-9 but the sides were determined to work towards a positive outcome.

He expressed hope that the P5+1 and Iran would reach a viable solution.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov heads the Russian delegation to the talks. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman leads the American delegation. Ashton is acting as coordinator. Iran is represented by Foreign Minister Zarif.

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