Leader's aide, Swedish FM discuss Iran-world powers' nuclear deal

Supreme Leader's top aide for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati and the Swedish foreign minister, in a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, voiced their satisfaction with the implementation of the Geneva nuclear deal between Iran and the Sextet of the world powers, and called on both sides to continue this progressive trend. In his meeting with Carl Bildt, Velayati underlined Tehran’s will to continue nuclear talks with the Group5+1 (US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany), saying Iran believes that using nuclear technology for peaceful means is the right of each country. Velayati further added Tehran has always voiced readiness for nuclear talks and inspections of its nuclear facilities by the UN nuclear watchdog. The top Swedish diplomat, for his part, said a new chapter has been opened in relations between Iran and the West after Iran-G5+1 nuclear deal was inked on November 24, 2013. Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US – plus Germany are scheduled to hold the next round of their nuclear talks in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on February 18. The meeting will come in light of the implementation of an interim nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers which was clinched in the Swiss city of Geneva last November. Under the deal, Iran agreed to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities as a confidence-building measure, and the world powers undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief and release more than $4bln of Tehran’s oil revenues.