Negotiator: Tehran, Sextet Likely to Implement Geneva Accord on Jan. 20
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi said Wednesday Tehran and the six world powers have arrived at a “basic consensus” to start implementing the Geneva nuclear deal as early as January 20.
Takht Ravanchi told reporters that although January 20 is the date on which the two sides have decided, the agreement on an exact date for implementation of the Geneva accord will be finalized after a forthcoming meeting between Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi and EU Deputy Foreign Policy Chief Helga Schmid.
He noted that the upcoming meeting between Araqchi and Schmid is aimed at resolving the issues remained unresolved during earlier expert-level talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany).
Earlier on Monday, Araqchi had confirmed that he would hold a meeting with Helga Schmid this week to decide on an exact date for putting into practice the Geneva nuclear deal.
He had also noted that both Iran and the six major world powers have prepared themselves to start carrying out the November nuclear accord from January 20, but added that a precise date will be set after the two sides reach common ground on the remaining issues.
“The date for the implementation stage of the Geneva deal would be subject to reaching mutual understanding over the remaining issues,” Araqchi said at the time.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) on November 24 signed a six-month deal on Tehran’s nuclear program based on which the world powers agreed to suspend some non-essential sanctions and to impose no new nuclear-related bans in return for Tehran's decision to freeze parts of its nuclear activities and to allow more inspection of its nuclear facilities.
The goal is to create a breathing space for a comprehensive agreement to be negotiated that the sides hope will be able to resolve for good the standoff over Iran's nuclear program after a decade of on-off meetings and failed attempts.
