Former US Diplomat Hails Secrecy Of Iran Talks With G5+1

Tehran, Oct 21, IRNA – Former US ambassador to Iraq Edward Peck has said that the decision to maintain the confidentiality of the contents of the latest talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 was an appropriate, logical and understandable move. Speaking to IRNA in a recent interview, Peck said the two sides of the newly-ended Geneva talks made the decision as they were concerned about interference of other parties in the process of the talks. Iran and representatives of US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany held a two-day talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 15-16. The two sides decided to maintain the confidentiality of the contents of the talks and also agreed to continue their discussions in Geneva on November 7-8. The Geneva talks were held in an atmosphere which could be led to a constructive course. Both sides were concerned that there would be other parties willing to disturb the constructive course or interfere in the process of the talks, said the veteran diplomat. Referring to the Zionist regime’s anti-Iran propaganda following the Geneva talks, Peck said, Zionist leaders were trying to prevent progress in Iran’s relations with the West, US in particular. Tel Aviv has started series of serious and massive propaganda against Iran to prevent any development in Tehran-Washington relations, he said. Peck suggested that the level of Iran’s future talks with the Group 5+1 to be increased to the ministerial level. Peck is a retired career United States diplomat who served thirty-two years in the US Foreign Service (1956-1989). He was in various diplomatic missions in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt as well as Iraq and Mauritania. /end