World powers, Iran hold new round of nuclear talks

GENEVA (Xinhua) - Delegates of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany started another round of nuclear talks with Iran on Thursday.

The P5+1 group (Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany) was represented by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and the Iranian delegation by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

In the two-day talks, the world powers are expected to seek a "first step" deal with Iran on solving the nuclear problem, though both sides say an agreement is far from certain.

In the previous round of talks, held on Oct. 15-16, Iran proposed a plan as a basis for negotiation but details of the proposal were not revealed.