Iranian and Russian officials discussed the latest developments in the nuclear talks between Tehran and the six major world powers and the progress made in the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In a meeting between Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior nuclear negotiator Seyed Abbas Araqchi and Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian on Saturday, Araqchi voiced Tehran's readiness to continue talks with the Sextet of world powers with firm will, and vowed to pave the ground for acceleration of settling remaining issues with the IAEA.

Araqchi went on to say that Russian delegation, especially Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riyabkov, had positive and constructive role in the nuclear talks and set forth creative and helpful proposals to facilitate ways to reach final accord.

He also lauded China and Russia's important and grave role in Iran-world powers nuclear talks.

The Russian diplomat for his part hoped for reaching comprehensive agreement, saying his country is determined for any help and coordination to reach the goal before the deadline of November 24.

The 7th round of talks between Iran and the G5+1 was held in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting last month.

The two sides held six rounds of negotiations in Vienna to reach a comprehensive deal after they inked an interim agreement in Geneva on November 24.

The Geneva agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20. In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach an agreement on a number of key issues.

A delegation of the IAEA arrived in Tehran on Tuesday.

Iranian officials and the visiting IAEA delegation headed by Deputy Director-General and Head of the Department of Safeguards of the nuclear monitoring body Tero Varjoranta discussed the way of implementing the remaining steps of their agreement.

Iran and the IAEA have been holding talks on Iran’s nuclear energy technology almost concurrent with discussions between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) on the same issue.

In November 2013, Iran and the IAEA signed a joint statement to outline a roadmap for mutual cooperation on certain outstanding nuclear issues.

On May 21, the two sides held a technical meeting on the Framework for Cooperation agreed in November 2013. During the meeting, they agreed on five practical measures which were to be implemented by August 25.

On September 15, Amano confirmed that Iran had enforced three of the five transparency measures, saying Tehran and the IAEA had begun talks on the implementation of the two remaining measures.
 

News ID 187268