Ashton and Jalili in Moscow in June 2012Photo Credit: AFP
By Kelsey Davenport
On Tuesday September 18, the top negotiators for the P5+1 and Iran met in Istanbul to continue discussions on Iran's nuclear program. This was the first time that EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili have met in person since the Moscow talks in June. While no new formal negotiating round was announced, this meeting indicates that there is still time to pursue a negotiated solution on Iran's nuclear program.
The Arms Control Association obtained the full statement released by a spokesperson from Ashton's office after her meeting with Jalili.
From the spokesperson of High Representative Catherine Ashton:
"High Representative Ashton met Dr Jalili on Tuesday evening in Istanbul. This is part of the ongoing efforts, led by the HR, to engage with Iran and to seek a diplomatic solution through negotiations. It is in line with the understandings reached at the negotiating round in Moscow in June. It follows the technical experts' meetings with Iran, the deputy level meeting between Ms Schmid and Mr Bagheri in July and phone calls made over summer.
While it was not a formal negotiating round, it was a useful and constructive meeting and an important opportunity to stress once again to Iran the urgent need to make progress.
The HR is planning to meet the Foreign Ministers of the EU 3 + 3 in the margins of the UNGA ministerial week in New York in order to assess the situation and to discuss the way forward. "
For more information on the history of diplomatic proposals on Iran's nuclear program, click here.