Iran talks very substantial and detailed: EU

GENEVA: Talks on Thursday between Iran’s foreign minister and world powers chief negotiator Catherine Ashton were "very substantial and detailed," Ashton’s spokesman said." Very substantial and detailed start of negotiations," between Ashton and Mohammad Jarad Zarif, spokesman Michael Mann said on Twitter. "Getting down to detailed work." Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, a member of the Iranian delegation, told IRNA that the "discussions were good and we delved into content and details." "However, differences between the views of each side remain," he said. The talks, the third since President Hassan Rouhani took office, are aimed at getting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear programme in exchange for minor sanctions relief. It is meant to be a "first-phase" deal while details of a comprehensive final accord are worked out by Iran and the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany. The mooted deal faces considerable opposition however from hardliners in the United States and Israel, as well as in the Islamic republic. (AFP)