Iran, world powers to resume nuke talks soon, European official says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran and a group of six nations will resume negotiations on the Islamic Republic’s controversial nuclear program next week, a European official said Friday, Dec 27, according to RIA Novosti.

A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who led previous talks with Iran, said “technical experts will meet with Iran in Geneva on December 30.”

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the aim of the talks would be to lay down a plan of implementing previously reached agreements.

Iran and the six-nation group – the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany – have agreed on a set of temporary measures to limit the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities pending a broader agreement.

Tehran agreed to temporarily suspend its nuclear research in exchange for lifting crippling international sanctions. The deal also stipulates that international observers will monitor nuclear sites in the country.

But the parties still have to work out a permanent agreement that would alleviate Western fears about Iran’s nuclear program being a facade to build an atomic bomb.