Deputies from Iran and the United States have held a new meeting in an effort to facilitate the process of inking a deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Wednesday’s talks were held by Iranian Deputy Foreign Ministers Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, and EU Deputy Foreign Policy Chief Helga Schmid in the Swiss lakeside city of Lausanne.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will hold talks at a ministerial level set for 10 a.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Thursday.

Zarif will meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss a high-profile political deal aimed at resolving Iran’s nuclear issue. US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Araqchi, Takht-e Ravanchi, Sherman and Schmid will also be present at the meeting.

The talks between the US and Iran are part of broader negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group -- Russia, China, Britain, France and the US plus Germany -- to reach a comprehensive agreement as a deadline slated for July 1 draws closer.

The previous round of nuclear negotiations ended in Lausanne on March 20 after six days of intensive and serious talks between representatives from Iran, the US and the European Union.

News ID 187705