Iran has agreed to take part in talks on its controversial nuclear programme after 14 months of stalemate.We can now look forward to years of stalemate...
Said Jalili, Iran's nuclear negotiator, will meet Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief who heads an international delegation on the nuclear issue, on December 6 and 7.
"We have now received a formal response from the Iranian authorities confirming that Dr Jalili has agreed to Catherine Ashton's proposal to meet in Geneva," an EU foreign affairs front man said on Tuesday.
"Talks between Ashton, on behalf of the E3+3, and Jalili will now take place on Monday and Tuesday of next week in Geneva."
Ashton has the backing of the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - referred to as the E3+3 or the P5+1 - to hold talks with Iran on its nuclear programme.
'Sticking points'
The US and its allies have said that they are concerned Iran is trying to build an atomic weapon, but Iran insists that its nuclear programme is simply to meet civilian energy needs.
The talks will be the first high-level meeting with Iran on the issue since October 2009.
Al Jizz's Laurence Lee, reporting from London, said that there were "sticking points" even before the talks take place.
"The Iranians want to talk about the fuel swap idea that they brokered with Turkey, whereas the powers - the European Union and the other powers - want to talk about the very fact of the nuclear programme," he said.
Iran has repeatedly refused to stop its uranium enrichment process, a key demand of the six powers, but did agree to exchange its low-enriched uranium in Turkey for nuclear fuel processed abroad.