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Middle East and North Africa

EU deputies foreign minister, Iran resume talks on Tehran’s nuclear program

According to Iranian mass media, tripartite consultations took place with the participation of U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman

© ЕРА/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

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US Under Secretary of State to discuss Geneva II, Iran in Moscow

GENEVA, January 10. /ITAR-TASS/. Deputies foreign minister of the European Union and Iran have resumed talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in Geneva.

The negotiations involve EU foreign policy deputy chief Helga Schmidt and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and are held behind closed doors, spokesman to the EU foreign policy chief Michael Mann said.

According to Iranian mass media, tripartite consultations took place with the participation of U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman.

The present round of talks continues the high-level consultations between Iranian experts and five members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany. The consultations were held in Geneva in December 2013.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said progress had been achieve at the consultations to promote the so-called joint plan of action. It was approved at the ministerial talks in Geneva on November 24, 2013.

Under the document, Iran obliged not to enrich uranium above 5%, to reduce the scale for developing the nuclear program and to allow experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect key nuclear facilities. The West agreed to partially ease economic sanctions. The agreements were named as the first step towards a comprehensive agreement.

Last week an Iranian Foreign Ministry diplomat said the parties would be able to start implementing the joint plan of action on January 20.

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