Zarif, Ryabkov meet in Geneva

Iranian Foreign Minister and top negotiator in talks with the major world powers Mohammad Javad Zarif and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov held bilateral talks in Geneva on Wednesday. Zarif and Ryabkov discussed the trend of the ongoing talks between Iran and the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany). Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian deputy foreign ministers Seyed Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht Ravanchi met with senior US negotiator Wendy Sherman in Geneva. Earlier in the day, Zarif met EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (who presides over the delegations of the six world powers in the talks with Iran) in Geneva to discuss the latest developments before the start of the high-profile Iran-G5+1 talks. Ashton chaired a meeting of the E3/EU+3 Political Directors ahead of her bilateral meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister. On November 7-9, Iran and the major world powers held three days of intense discussions in the Swiss city of Geneva. The two sides did not reach an agreement but stressed that significant progress had been made and expressed optimism about the prospects of a possible deal in the future. The next round of the talks between Iran and the six countries is slated to open today in the Swiss city.