New Iran Nuclear Talks next Week

Local Editor

Iran is to hold new talks with major powers on its nuclear program next week, in the wake of a landmark interim deal reached last month, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

The talks will be joined by representatives of the UN nuclear watchdog, which is charged with overseeing implementation of the deal under which Iran agreed to roll back parts of its program in return for limited relief from Western sanctions, ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.
"The expert-level talks between Iran and the P5 1 will be held in Vienna on Dec. 9 and 10 with the aim of paving the way to implement the joint plan of action," Afkham said.
She said representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency would join the talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany as "observers" to help give them a "complete and precise understanding of the agreement."
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will visit the United Arab Emirates Wednesday, he wrote on his Facebook page, upon returning to the Iranian capital. "Following the visit last week of the UAE's foreign minister to Tehran, tomorrow I will go to the Emirates and will have meetings with the high-ranking officials ... in Dubai and Abu Dhabi," Zarif said in his post Tuesday.

Zarif has since Sunday been on a tour of Kuwait, Oman and Qatar trying to persuade the Gulf states that the nuclear deal will enhance regional stability.
Also likely to be discussed during Zarif's visit is the touchy issue of the sovereignty of Abu Musa and two other islands in the southern Gulf.

Zarif also wrote in his Facebook post that he was ready for negotiations with Saudi Arabia whenever Riyadh was ready and added that talks would be "beneficial for both countries, the region and the Muslim world."

Before traveling to the UAE Wednesday, Zarif is due to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Tehran.
Also Tuesday, Britain's new envoy to Tehran visited Iran, becoming the first British diplomat to travel to the country since ties were severed in 2011, the Foreign Office in London said.

Ajay Sharma, who is making his first trip in his new role as non-resident charge d'affaires, held "detailed and constructive" talks with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Habibollah-Zadeh and other officials.

"I had a good first visit back to Tehran today and want to thank the Iranian authorities, particularly my counterpart Mr. Habibollah-Zadeh, for facilitating the trip," Sharma said in a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
"I held detailed and constructive discussions with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about taking forward our bilateral relationship on a step-by-step and reciprocal basis."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team