Iran resumes nuclear talks with world powers in Geneva ------

Iran resumes nuclear talks with world powers in Geneva

Iran has resumed talks with western powers Tuesday in Geneva, after a six-month hiatus, for the first time since the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif kicked off the two-day meeting, for the first time expected to be held primarily in English, with a presentation entitled "Closing an unnecessary crisis: Opening new horizons." This new round of negotiations over Iran's disputed nuclear development program has been met with "cautious optimism," and the Iranian delegation said the proposals to scale back its efforts at uranium enrichment it presented to the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia -- plus Germany received a "good" first reaction. On the eve of the talks, a U.S. official noted that there could be potential sanctions relief for Iran if Tehran takes swift measures to address concerns about its nuclear program. However, Western diplomats said it is unclear whether Iran's proposals will be sufficient. Officials cautioned that a breakthrough would not happen overnight. Zarif stated, "I am hopeful that by Wednesday we can reach agreement on a roadmap to find a path towards resolution." 

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