Iran nuclear talks resume in Geneva

Tehran – Iran and six world powers Monday started a new round of expert talks in Geneva on the ways of implementing the newly-reached nuclear deal.

Iran and the P5+1 – the US, Britain, Russia, China, France plus Germany – resumed negotiations after the Christmas holidays, reported the IRNA news agency.

The talks will focus on the ways of implementing the newly-reached nuclear deal between Iran and the group of six countries.

The two sides’ experts have already held their first and second rounds of talks in the Swiss city Dec 9 and 19.

The talks seek to overcome a block related to the interpretation of the Nov 24 Geneva accord between the two sides. The Iranians are of the view that the Joint Plan of Action that was signed, does not ban Iran from developing a new generation of sophisticated machines that are used for enriching uranium.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced that the deal will be implemented as of late January.

Araqchi, a member of Iran’s negotiating team, also said the talks will last for a day.

Under the Geneva accord, Iran has agreed to halt 20 percent enrichment, as a gesture of its peaceful intentions, as an atomic bomb requires the use of uranium enriched beyond 90 percent.

The Iranian negotiating team will be chaired by Foreign Ministry Director General for International and Political Affairs Hamid Baeeidinejad.

Stefan Clement, an aide to the European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, will head the group P5+1 negotiating team.

Under the Geneva accord, both sides are to work out a series of confidence building steps that would confirm that Iran was not in pursuit of atomic weapons, paving the way for a final deal.