“Iran’s team of experts will likely be regrouped for holding [expert-level] negotiations pertaining to the final step [of the nuclear deal],” Iran Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi said.
“When expert-level negotiations begin on the final step [in the implementation of the Geneva deal], the expert team will likely be reorganized and will be strengthened in view of the issues pertaining to the final step,” Araqchi pointed out.
The top Iranian negotiator also welcomed efforts to increase the number of experts who will be attending the talks.
The senior Iranian diplomat said Iran and six world powers will continue their contact next week to resolve remaining issues prior to January 20, the date set to begin implementing the interim nuclear deal earlier sealed between the two sides in Geneva.
“Contacts between the two sides will continue at the political level in the course of next week and we hope, with their finalization, the first step will come into force soon,” said Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi.
While stating that “good progress” has been made at the expert-level talks between Iran and the six countries, Araqchi said that several issues, “on which there is no common understanding,” still remain between the two sides.
Director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi also stated that more experts will join Iranian negotiators in future expert-level talks with the six countries.
“Since from now on, the expert-level talks focus on details, which include fuel cycle and Arak heavy water reactor, different specialties are needed,” he said.
The director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has expressed hope about the Geneva talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
“Most of the differences have been resolved and hopefully, some of the remaining differences will be resolved gradually at a meeting that should be held this week,” Salehi said.
Salehi also said the number of AEOI experts attending the talks has been increased.
Iran’s nuclear chief also said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors are expected to visit the Gachin uranium mine in southern Iran later this month.
“The IAEA inspectors’ visit will take place before the end of January, i.e. within the next three weeks,” Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said.
He, however, added that no exact date has been set for the visit, which is part of a six-point agreement reached between Iran and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in November.
“Iran is committed to the six points upon which it has reached an agreement with Yukiya Amano…,” Salehi said, adding that the IAEA’s December inspection of Arak heavy water plant and future visit to the Gachin mine are two of the six agreements.
