One day prior to Catherine Ashton’s first-ever trip to Iran, three days of expert talks between Iran and the 5+1 representatives ended in Vienna.
Hamid Baidinejad, the head of the Iranian delegation, told ISNA that the talks were “useful” and added that “both sides participated in the negotiations with good faith.”
He added that they discussed uranium enrichment, the Arak heavy water reactor and nuclear cooperation.
This round of talks began on Wednesday March 5 and ended today, Friday. A report on the outcome was provided for the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the 5+1 states, and talks will continue later this month under the supervision of Catherine Ashton and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian FM.
Ashton is scheduled to leave for Tehran Saturday evening, after Zarif invited his EU counterpart to visit Iran in recognition of the improved relations between Iran and the international community.
The Fars News Agency reports that Ashton is set to meet Iranian President Hassan Rohani and the head of Parliament, Ali Larijani, as well as Foreign Minister Zarif in Tehran.
Nuclear negotiations and Iran’s relations with the EU are among the topics expected to be discussed on Ashton’s trip.
