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 U.S. and Iranian diplomats began a two-day meeting in Geneva on
Monday to pave the way for resuming broader negotiations involving
Iran and six world powers there on Wednesday.
They are aimed at resolving a 12-year stand-off over Iran's disputed
nuclear aspirations that has wrought heavy economic sanctions on the
Islamic Republic and fears of a new Middle East war unless the
dispute can be settled diplomatically soon.
Iran, the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia
failed to strike a long-term deal by a self-imposed Nov. 24
deadline. So they extended the talks for seven more months to
address what they call complex technical details.
 Monday's session, the first to take place in the overtime period,
"lasted more than six hours and proceeded in a good ambience," said
Iranian chief negotiator and deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
"There were elaborate discussions on all topics, especially
sanctions. At present, issues have boiled down to very minor, fine
details. Solutions exist in some cases, in others there is need for
more effort and discussions," he said on Iranian state television.
"We are not in a position yet to judge the final outcome, but I can
say the atmosphere of these sessions is good, although there is yet
some distance to a solution."
Araghchi said Tehran would hold further discussions with the United
States, its arch-adversary since its 1979 Islamic Revolution but
also most important interlocutor, before resuming full-fledged talks
with the six powers on Wednesday.
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President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist whose election in 2013
revived diplomacy after years of deepening confrontation with the
West, pledged on Monday to overcome hardline domestic opposition and
secure a nuclear deal he said would bring an "end to oppressive
sanctions against the Iranian people".
(Reporting by Mehrdad Balali; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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