Iran nuclear talks off to a good start, says EU foreign policy chief

Three days of talks between Iran and six world powers in Vienna have ended to "a good start" as diplomats negotiating for a final nuclear deal, agreed on a mutual framework before they could discuss details in future sessions.

"We have had three very productive days during which we have identified all of the issues we need to address in reaching a comprehensive and final agreement," the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said. "There is a lot to do. It won't be easy but we have made a good start."

Ashton, who acts as the convenor of talks on behalf of Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the US – the group known as P5+1 – is negotiating directly with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, said both sides had agreed to start the technical work and further political discussions as early as March. They would set a timetable over four months to discuss the differences that have so far prevented settlement of the decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme.

The Vienna talks mark the start of a potentially complicated process, which both sides hope to wrap up within six months but which is likely to continue much longer.

Abbas Araqchi, a senior Iranian negotiator, told the semi-official Isna news agency that Ashton will visit Tehran in early March.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Ashton in Vienna, Zarif said: "We had three fruitful and extensive working days and both sides have the feeling that it was a good start for the difficult task we have ahead."

Zarif later updated his 800k followers on Facebook with the latest from Vienna, saying that if all sides show "political will and mutual respect" then a final agreement was within reach.A senior US administration official described the talks as "constructive and useful" and said some areas of agreement have emerged in the talks but still "very difficult" issues remain.

"This will be a complicated, difficult and lengthy process. We will take the time required to do it right," the official said. "We will continue to work in a deliberate and concentrated manner to see if we can get that job done."

Following the Vienna talks, American officials are expected to brief officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia, the two countries who have major concerns about Iran's nuclear dossier.

Some US officials say talks should include Tehran's military programme - especially its missile industry. But Iranian officials have remained adamant that the country has a "right to enrich" under NPT and signalled it will not discuss military programmes as part of nuclear negotiations.

Iranian news agencies quoted Zarif as saying: "Nothing except Iran's nuclear activities will be discussed in the talks with the six powers and we have agreed on it". But a senior US official said "all our concerns" must be met before they could find a permanent resolution to the dispute.

"All of the issues of concern to the international community regarding Iran's nuclear programme are on the table," the official said. "And all of our concerns must be met in order to get a comprehensive agreement ... Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."

Other sticking points in the talks include the fate of Iran's heavy-water plant in Arak, which the west fear might provide Iran with an alternative route to a weapons programme. Iran insists that all its nuclear activities are peaceful and that it began its uranium enrichment in the first place because the west refused to give fuel for its nuclear reactors. Thanks to its nuclear advances, Iran has produced and supplied pharmaceuticals to its hospitals across for cancer therapy for many years.

But the UN nuclear watchdog has previously reported that Tehran had not fully complied with its international obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In the past, Tehran's leaders have remained defiant against six UN security council resolutions calling on them to halt enrichment. Iran, on the other side, accuses the west of hypocrisy, saying it has turned a blind eye on Israel, which is not a signatory to NPT, not required to allow inspectors and has a nuclear arsenal.

On Wednesday, the commander of Iran's elite Revolutionay Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari, said his forces have kept silent about the nuclear talks not to sabotage its process but said he was not optimistic the outcome.