Iraqi: Kerry and Zarif to Meet in Geneva on Sunday and Monday

Abbas Araqchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister and senior member of the nuclear negotiation team, stated on Thursday, February 30, that the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the United States will meet on Friday and Saturday, followed by negotiations between Mohammad Javad Zarif and John Kerry on Sunday and Monday in Geneva. According to Fars News Agency, Araqchi mentioned that the consultations on Friday and Saturday will involve the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the U.S. with the presence of Helga Schmid, deputy to Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, and the meetings between the foreign ministers of Iran and the U.S. will take place in Geneva on Sunday and Monday. This report indicates that this is the fifth round of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. following the extension of the 1+5 nuclear talks with Iran until June 2015. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday, February 18, that Wendy Sherman, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, will lead a delegation to Geneva for nuclear negotiations with Iranian officials. The U.S. State Department's statement noted: 'Wendy Sherman and the negotiation team will travel to Geneva, the capital of Switzerland, on February 19 to meet with Iranian officials.' According to Reuters, the U.S. State Department stated that the bilateral negotiations with Iran will occur within the framework of the 1+5 group, with Catherine Ashton, the EU's special advisor, leading these negotiations. The U.S., U.K., France, China, and Russia, along with Germany, are working as the 1+5 group to reach a comprehensive agreement regarding Iran's nuclear dispute. Following the interim 'Geneva' agreement in November 2013, negotiations between Iran and the 1+5 group have been ongoing to achieve such an agreement, but two deadlines for finalizing this agreement have passed without results. Currently, negotiations aim to reach a general (political) agreement by March 31, after which a comprehensive agreement with technical details must be finalized by June. Reports indicate that disagreements between Iran and the 1+5 group focus on the dimensions of Iran's nuclear activities and the manner of lifting sanctions against Iran. While some reports suggest a potential agreement between Iran and the 1+5 group to resolve the nuclear dispute, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, predicted on Wednesday that international sanctions against Iran would remain even if a nuclear agreement is reached. The Supreme Leader stated: 'My belief is that if the nuclear issue progresses as they dictate, the sanctions will still not be lifted because they oppose the essence of the revolution.'