IRNA � Negotiations on international nuclear cooperation, progress and prospect started Tuesday in this central Iranian city with participation of high-ranking Iranian and European Union (EU) officials.


The Isfahan talks are held following the third round of high-level negotiations which began in Tehran on Monday and are co-chaired by Iran's senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi and EU deputy foreign policy chief Helga Schmid.

EU Special Representative for Human Rights Stavros Lambrinidis, Director General of the International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission Stefano Manservisi and Director General for the European Commission responsible for energy policies Dominique Ristori are members of the EU delegation.

After the announcement of 'Implementation Day' of the 2015 nuclear deal in January 2016, Iran and EU are proceeding their high-level talks, two rounds of which have already been held in Iran's capital, Tehran and Belgium's Brussels.

Human rights, energy, trade, banking cooperation, environment, counter terrorism moves and regional questions including the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni crises are among the issues on which the two sides have negotiated.

The July 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has removed legal hindrances to international nuclear cooperation with Iran.

According to the JCPOA Annex III which focuses on Civil Nuclear Cooperation, Iran and E3/EU+3 decided to co-operate, among others, including through IAEA technical cooperation, where appropriate, and without prejudice to the existing bilateral agreements, in different areas of civil nuclear co-operation to be developed within the framework of this JCPOA, as detailed in this Annex. In this context, the Joint Commission will also support assistance to Iran, including through IAEA technical cooperation projects, as appropriate.