Major powers to hold meeting on Iran

TEHRAN,Nov.17(MNA) – European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will host a meeting of representatives of six major powers in Brussels on Wednesday, as part of efforts to dissuade Iran from its nuclear program, Reuters quoted a spokesperson for Ashton as saying on Thursday. The talks with the six will be the first since the November 6 reelection of U.S. President Barack Obama, which raised hope of a revival of diplomacy after hawkish campaign talk and speculation that Israel might strike Iranian nuclear facilities. “Ashton will host a meeting of… political directors in Brussels on 21 November,” the spokesperson said in an email. “This is part of the ongoing… consultations to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.” The six powers are the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain, and Germany. The U.S. in particular claims that Tehran may be seeking nuclear weapons capability. Iran denies this, saying its program is entirely peaceful. Obama said on Wednesday he would renew efforts for a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear issue.