TEHRAN, January 12. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif discussed different aspects of the talks between Iran and the P5+1 group (Five permanent UN members and Germany), the Russian Embassy in Tehran told TASS on Monday.
Ryabkov, who has arrived in Tehran on a one-day visit, held talks with his Iranian counterparts — Abbas Araghchi and Majid Takht Ravanchi, the embassy said.
The consultations were held ahead of the regular round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program due to take place in Geneva on January 18.
On January 14, Zarif is expected to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry. From January 14 to January 17 the delegations, which take part in working out a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, will gather for talks.
Catherine Ashton, who was EU foreign policy chief until December 1, will chair the talks. The US delegation will be led by Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman.
An Iranian diplomat told TASS on January 6 that a decision had been taken to hold the regular meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group on January 18. “All parties agree with such schedule. That is why a decision was taken to meet in Geneva on January 18,” the diplomat said.
Before the meeting Iran is planning to have bilateral meetings with Russian and US negotiators, he said.
Russia will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.
The Iranian diplomat did not rule out that bilateral meetings would be held on January 17.
The P5+1 is a group of countries which in 2006 joined the diplomatic efforts with Iran in regard to its nuclear program. The term refers to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, namely the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.