Istanbul to host second round of EU-Iran nuclear talks on 24 July

A second round of nuclear consultations between the European Union and Iran is set for Istanbul on 24 July. Senior deputies from both sides will meet first to probe whether the outstanding differences holding up the process can be overcome and to map possible ways forward.

Helga Schmid, a top aide to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, will hold talks with Ali Bakiri, the deputy to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. The deputy-level session is expected to define each side's position and lay the groundwork before the two principals enter the room.

Ashton and Jalili are scheduled to meet directly once the preliminary round concludes. A spokesperson for Ashton confirmed the schedule to the Anadolu Agency, saying the Istanbul sessions would focus on how unresolved disagreements could be addressed and how momentum in the overall negotiations could be restored.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in July 2012, in its own words.