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| [FILE PHOTO: Iran concludes negotiations about Iran's nuclear capabilities in 2013] |
By RFE/RL
Washington/Tehran: U.S. and Iranian officials will meet in Geneva next week for bilateral talks on Iran's nuclear program.
The U.S. State Department said on January 8 that acting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will lead senior U.S. officials at the January 15-17 negotiations.
EU political director Helga Schmid will also join U.S. and Iranian officials at the talks, and Schmid will lead talks between Iran and six world powers on January 18.
Iran and the powers -- Britain, France, China, Russia, Germany, and the United States -- have missed two deadlines to agree to a permanent deal curbing Iran's nuclear program, which Western nations fear is aimed at developing atomic weapons, in exchange for the removal of sanctions.
Iranian news agency ISNA reported that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would meet in Geneva on January 14 and would "provide the necessary instruction to their deputies before negotiations."
There was no immediate confirmation from the United States.
Iran denies it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.