Tehran, YJC. Diplomats representing Iran and three major European Union countries have engaged in negotiations on Iran's nuclear program are set to hold a fresh round of nuclear talks.
The Islamic Republic and the EU3 -- France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- kicked off 1-day talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul later on Thursday.
The Iranian negotiating team, led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi, is due in Istanbul on Thursday.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe and Americas' Affairs Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, who doubles as an Iranian nuclear negotiator, arrived in Istanbul earlier in the day.
Helga Schmid, the deputy of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, will also participate in the talks.Iran and the P5+1 countries - the US, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany – are in talks to secure a final comprehensive deal over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear work.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran and the P5+1 group are close to reaching a final deal over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, adding that details are now being worked out in the talks.
"We are done with the generalities and have begun [discussing] details. Iran’s [uranium] enrichment program and the continuation of the nuclear program have been approved,” Zarif said on Tuesday.