BRUSSELS (EJP)—European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is to visit Iran in the coming weeks.
“It is my intention to visit in the next weeks,” Ashton said at a press conference in Kuwait with Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Hamad al-Sabah.
According to informed sources, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif invited Ashton who has been closely involved in the negotiations between the world powers and Iran on its nuclear programme.
The EU foreign policy chief has coordinated the nuclear talks with Iran on behalf of the P5+1 (the US, China, Russia, France,UK and Germany).
Iran and the EU announced on Sunday that a deal reached in November between Iran and the six powers, intended to pave the way for a solution to the long standoff over Tehran’s programme, would come into force on January 20.
Under the deal, Iran has agreed to halt its enrichment of uranium to 20 percent, a level just steps away from weapons-grade material, but will continue enrichment up to 5 percent. It also will convert half of its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium to oxide and dilute the remaining half to 5 percent.
In exchange, no new sanctions will be imposed against Iran and the current sanctions would be eased for a period of six months as talks continue for a permanent deal.
The November deal allows Iran access to $4.2 billion in revenues blocked in foreign banks that can’t be transferred because of sanctions. Tehran would receive the first $550 million installment February 1.