Zarif: Iran, EU, US Held Trilateral Meeting on Nuclear Issue Only
Local Editor
Senior negotiators of Iran, European Union, and US held trilateral talks in Vienna on Monday and discussed issues to decrease differences and make viewpoints closer before reaching a comprehensive agreement.
The intensive negotiations between Mohammad Javad Zarif, Catherine Ashton and William Burns took place after a working lunch between Ashton and Zarif.
The US Assistant Secretary of States William Burns, who had more than 11 hours of discussion last week with Iranian Foreign Minister Deputies Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi in Geneva, Switzerland came to Vienna again today to accompany with the US negotiating team to follow up his discussions with the Iranian side.
After the working lunch with Ashton, Zarif said that the issues would be discussed again tomorrow in the general meeting with Group 5+1.
Zarif refuted claims that said he discussed Iraq with US and told reporters that Vienna talks are only about nuclear issue and have no connection with Iraq.
Araqchi had already said that negotiation with the US side was on nuclear issue and Iraq was not on the agenda.
Reuters allegedly quoted U.S. and Iranian officials as saying that the crisis in Iraq was discussed on the sidelines of separate negotiations about the Iranian nuclear program in Vienna. “The disastrous situation in Iraq was discussed today. No specific outcome was achieved,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters of the talks on Iraq. “Iran is a great country that can play a key role in restoring stability in Iraq and the region.”
“Military cooperation was not discussed and is not an option,” the senior Iranian official added. “The final decision will be taken by capitals.”
The official meeting between Iran and Group 5+1 is due to start on Tuesday June 17, at the UN Headquarters in Vienna at 11.
Zarif told reporters that after Tuesday meeting, it would be necessary to have technical and bilateral meetings to find out a base to start compiling common text.
Source: Al-Manar
