Iran, Six Major Powers on Third Day of Talks: Real and Meaningful Despite Major Differences
Local Editor
Iran and the six major world powers are set to start the third day of a new round of talks on Tehran's nuclear energy program in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The Iranian delegation is headed by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif while EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton leads the group of six countries.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, France, Britain, Russia and China - plus Germany kicked off their latest round of talks on Wednesday.
The two sides are working to hammer out an interim deal to pave the ground for a final resolution to the West's decade-old dispute with Iran over nuclear energy program.
Talks Real and Meaningful Despite Differences
Talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany have been "real and meaningful," a spokesman for the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, says.
"It was not your classic bilateral [meeting]. It was a real, meaningful, detailed, substantial negotiation, trying to drill down into the details of the text, trying to narrow the differences that still existed after the last round," Michael Mann said on Thursday.
Mann made the remarks following a meeting between Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Ashton earlier in the day.
The Iranian team echoed the remarks, saying discussions have already delved into content and details. However, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is also a member of the Iranian negotiating team, said there were still "major differences" between the two sides.
During the last round of talks in Geneva in early November, a first-step agreement was within reach but the position taken by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in favor of the "Israeli" regime and a lack of commitment by US Secretary of State John Kerry spoiled the negotiations.
US Senators For More Sanctions on Iran
On another hand, a group of US senators said it would work towards imposing more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear energy program.
On Thursday, a group of 14 Democratic and Republican US senators issued a statement, saying they would work together to impose the sanctions over the coming weeks.
The group said it would work on legislation in this regard and try to pass it as quickly as possible.
"A nuclear weapons capable Iran presents a grave threat to the national security of the United States and its allies and we are committed to preventing Iran from acquiring this capability," the senators said.
Source: Agencies
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