Iranian Official: EU's Ashton Reassures Tehran On Nuke Deal

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (right) attends a meeting with Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif (2nd-right) with EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton (center) during talks over Iran's nuclear program in Geneva in November.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton has reassured Iran that world powers are committed to an agreement reducing Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for easing sanctions against Iran.

Araghchi made his comments in Brussels after talks with Ashton.

He said technical talks between the world powers and Iranian officials will continue "very soon." Iran and the United States, Britain, China, France, Russia, and Germany signed the interim agreement in Geneva last month.

Iranian officials were angered last week by a U.S. move to expand the number of companies on a blacklist of entities evading sanctions against Iran, and stopped talks in Vienna on how to implement the agreement.

An Ashton spokesman said the meeting on December 17 was held to "take stock of progress."

Based on reporting by dpa, Mehr, and ISNA