Iran has agreed to talks with the US and other major powers on 1 October in a last-ditch attempt to reach agreement on the country’s nuclear programme before new UN sanctions are imposed, diplomats in Brussels and London have said.
The meeting will be the first substantial one between Barack Obama’s administration and the Iranian government since Obama offered talks without preconditions on coming to office in January. It is likely to represent a final attempt to salvage gains from the US policy of engagement with Tehran before Washington shifts its focus to new sanctions, most probably targeting Iran’s oil and gas industry.
The talks will bring together Iranian representatives with delegates from the six-nation E3+3 group of the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, which has has been seeking a compromise with Iran over its nuclear programme. Iran refuses to comply with UN
security council resolutions demanding it suspend enrichment of uranium until it can prove it is for peaceful purposes.
