A U.S. official has confirmed that State Secretary John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif are scheduled to meet in Geneva next week for bilateral talks on Iran's nuclear program.
A senior State Department official told reporters on January 9 that the meeting would take place on January 14, before Iran and six world powers hold a new round of negotiations on January 18 in an effort to reach a lasting deal before the end of June.
U.S. and Iranian delegations are also to hold bilateral discussions on January 15-17.
The U.S. official said Kerry and Zarif will discuss "guidance for the negotiating teams."
Iranian officials and representatives from Britain, France, China, Russia, Germany, and the United States have missed two deadlines to agree to a permanent deal resolving disputes over Iran's nuclear program.
Iran denies it is seeking to develop an atomic weapon.
Based on reporting by AFP and AP