Zarif, Ashton start nuclear talks in Geneva

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton have held talks over Iran’s nuclear energy program in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The Iranian chief nuclear negotiator held a meeting on Wednesday with Ashton, who is leading representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US — plus Germany in nuclear negotiations with Tehran, Press TV reported.
Iran and the six powers are slated to start a new round of talks about the Iranian nuclear energy program in Geneva within a few hours.
Zarif and Ashton exchanged views on a previous round of negotiations in Geneva on November 7-10 and ways to continue the talks in the future.
During the last round of talks, a first-step agreement was within reach but the position taken by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in favor of the Israeli regime and a lack of commitment by US Secretary of State John Kerry spoiled the negotiations.