New high-level talks between Iran and six world powers on Tehran's nuclear program will take place on November 7 and 8, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced Wednesday after a two-day meeting in Geneva.
Speaking to journalists, Ashton, who is leading the talks in the name of the six powers, did not go into details on the substance of the talks but read an uprecedented joint statement in which Iran and the P5+1, called the talks "substantive and forward looking."
The P5+1 is made up of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China -- plus Germany.
Ashton, who is leading talks with Iran on behalf of world powers, said the two sides had agreed that "nuclear, scientific, and sanctions experts will convene before the next meeting to address differences and to develop practical steps."
She said that the P5+1 group views Iran's new nuclear proposal as an "important contribution,’’ adding that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif "presented an outline of a plan as a proposed basis for negotiation, which has been carefully considered by the [P5+1] as an important contribution. Members of delegations followed with in-depth bilateral and joint consultations on various elements of the approach."
Ashton said the two sides had agreed not to reveal details of their discussions.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iran's top negotiator, said the proposal would allow for snap inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities, though not from the beginning.
Araqchi told the official IRNA news agency that both uranium-enrichment issues and the so-called Additional Protocol to Iran's agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were part "of our last steps."