MILAN, August 30 (RIA Novosti) - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will hold a meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif in Brussels on Monday, as part of the discussions on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“I meet with Mohammed Zarif in Brussels on Monday, it’s a part of not actually restarting, but ongoing discussions that are taking place,”, Ashton said Saturday at the press conference following informal meeting of European Union’s foreign ministers in Milan. “We will use the opportunities that we find of being in New York to take time to also continue that.”
"Our ambitions remain the same and I’m looking forward to seeing him on Monday,” Ashton added.
The West has imposed economic sanctions against Iran over the country’s nuclear program. Iran argues that its nuclear activities are aimed at meeting the country’s growing energy needs, while the West claims Tehran wants to obtain a nuclear weapon under the guise of a peaceful program.
In November 2013, Iran and the so-called P5+1 international mediation group consisting of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and the United States struck a one-year deal, lifting some sanctions and also allowing Tehran to conduct certain nuclear activities in exchange for greater transparency of its nuclear program. November 24 is the deadline for the group to come up with a long-term comprehensive agreement.
