P5 + 1 and Iran to meet mid - January to continue diplomatic efforts
ILNA: The latest round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and P5 + 1 was constructive, an EU Foreign Affairs spokesperson told Trend.
The talks were held on the level of political directors(deputies of foreign ministers) in Geneva on Dec. ۱۷ and the next talks are scheduled to be held in ۲۰۱۵.
The EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs told Trend Dec. ۲۰ that " they will meet again in mid - January to continue diplomatic efforts to seek a comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. "
Iran and the P۵ + ۱ group(the US, UK, France, Russia, China plus Germany) agreed to extend nuclear talks until July ۱,۲۰۱۵ after failing to meet the ۲۴ Nov. deadline to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
the official added that " the E۳ / EU + ۳(P۵ + ۱) and Iran met on ۱۷ December ۲۰۱۴ on Political Directors level in Geneva. The one - day meeting which was chaired by EU Political Director Helga Schmid was serious and constructive ".
The US and its west allies suspects Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear technology for electricity generation and medical purposes instead.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Dec. ۱۸ at a press conference in Moscow that “We are very close to the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue”.
Despite failing the sides to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement on Nov. ۲۴, the U. S. State Department’s Persian Language Spokesperson Alan Eyre told Trend Dec. ۱۰ that Iran and the P۵ + ۱ group made " significant and real progress " during the last November meeting that encourages the sides to continue the negotiations.
The sides made serious efforts, offered new proposals and brought their positions more close to each other, however the agreement was not achieved before Nov. ۲۴ - deadline due to remained complicated and technical issues, Eyre said.
Despite putting July ۱,۲۰۱۵ as the next deadline for reaching final nuclear agreement, Eyre, who has been a member of the US nuclear talks delegation since ۲۰۰۹, added that the sides decided to put March ۱,۲۰۱۵ as a new deadline for a political framework agreement.
" If the sides fail to achieve agreement on main political principles in four months then the sides can talk to make decision about the process, " he said.