The negotiators of Iran and the world powers ended the first session of their Thursday talks in Geneva moments ago.

The representatives of Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) started the first session of their new round of talks in Geneva at 11:00 (local time) and ended it after almost an hour.

There are yet no reports on the contents of the negotiations or the possible decision of the two sides to continue their talks today.

The last meeting of the seven countries was in Geneva and lasted for two days on October 15 and 16. Both Tehran and the delegations of the G5+1 voiced satisfaction in the outcomes of the Geneva meeting and sent their experts to two days of talks in Vienna on October 30 and 31 to discuss details of Iran's new proposal for soothing the crisis.

Iran and the six world powers agreed in their third session of talks on October 15 to follow up on the nuclear negotiations on November 7 and 8.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva after wrapping up two days of negotiations in October that yielded a deal to meet again in November, Iranian Foreign Minister and Head of Iran’s team of negotiators with the world powers Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the talks with the Group 5+1 had been “extensive and fruitful” and that the opposite side had “exhibited the necessary political will to move the process forward”.

Zarif hoped that the Geneva talks between Iran and the six world powers could herald a shift in Tehran’s ties.

Zarif said this “will hopefully be the beginning of a new phase in our relations towards closing an unnecessary crisis and opening new horizons”, in reference to the title of Iran's proposed package, which was tabled during the negotiations.

He also stressed Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear activities and said, “The right of Iran to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, can, in fact, be exercised with the necessary political will without any proliferation concerns."

“We feel there is no need for concerns about our nuclear program... It is logical to remove any concerns though,” he added.

“I am hopeful that we can reach the mutual objectives,” he said, while underlining that “the detailed part is the most difficult part”.

“We need to take reciprocal steps, but this is a very important test in our eyes for the 5+1 to win back the trust of Iran. I believe an important step was taken in this round.”

Prior to Zarif, EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who presides over the delegations of the world powers in talks with Iran over its nuclear program, told the press conference that the Group 5+1 has had the most detailed discussions with Iranian negotiators, adding that “our positions have been set out on a number of issues already”.

Bringing the negotiations to a close with the first joint statement between the two sides, Ashton told the media the discussions had been more detailed than all earlier meetings, calling them "the most detailed (discussions) we have ever had, by, I would say, a long way. Our positions have been set out on a number of issues already".

She said the world powers are "carefully" examining Iran's proposal which aims to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program, ahead of a new round of talks on November 7-8.

Ashton also said in a joint statement with Zarif that the talks held between world powers and Iran over the latter's nuclear program in Geneva over the last two days have been the most "substantive" and "detailed" to date.

Ashton said that the six world powers were carefully considering Iran's proposal to the West and had agreed not to divulge details of the offer.
 

News ID 185570