Ashton To Meet Iranian Foreign Minister On September 1

BRUSSELS -- The European Union says EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will meet Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Brussels on September 1 to discuss a framework for renewed nuclear talks.

The announcement on August 25 came as a deadline expired for Tehran to answer questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency about suspected nuclear weapons research.

There was no immediate word on whether Tehran provided the information to the UN nuclear watchdog.

At their last meeting in July, Ashton and Zarif agreed to prolong until November 24 a deadline for a comprehensive nuclear deal between Iran and the so-called P5+1.

Ashton is the lead negotiator for the P5+1, which includes all five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany.

Tehran's next round of talks with the P5+1 is on the sidelines of the United Nations’ General Assembly meeting, which starts September 16 in New York.