US, Iran to hold bilateral nuclear meetings in Geneva

GENEVA - The United States and Iran will hold bilateral meetings here on Jan 15 to 17 over the latter's disputed nuclear program, before the world major countries and Iran will resume talks on Jan 18.

The US Department of State on Thursday said in a statement that US acting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman and the American negotiating team will meet on Jan 15 to 17 with Iranian officials in Geneva.

These bilateral consultations will take place in the context of the P5+1 nuclear negotiations with Iran.

The P5+1 group, namely China, France, Russia, Britain, the United States, and Germany, will meet Iran with a view to making further progress towards a long-term comprehensive solution on the nuclear issue.

The meeting will be at a political directors level and chaired by EU political director Helga Schmid.

The new round of talks is the second meeting between the P5+1 group and Iran after the failure to meet a Nov 24 deadline last year for a comprehensive nuclear deal. The last meeting was on Dec 17 in Geneva.

Iran has been a target of UN sanctions due to its alleged attempts to build nuclear weapons. The West accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of civilian nuclear programs, which Iran has denied, insisting that its nuclear programs are for peaceful purposes only.