Iran flays US for listing new entities for sanctions

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi has criticised the US for imposing bans against another group of Iranian nationals and companies.

The embargos contradict the very essence of the deal reached between Iran and six world powers in Geneva, the deputy foreign minister told IRNA news agency here Thursday night.

Asked about Iran's reaction to the US Treasury decision to impose sanctions against more Iranian companies and individuals, he said that Iran is examining the situation in the aftermath of the fresh embargos.

Araqchi is a member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team.

Iran's expert team ended talks with P5+1 group - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, US, Russia, Britain, France, China plus Germany - in Vienna Thursday. Expert-level talks on the mechanism of Geneva deal between Iran and the P5+1, which started Dec 9 ended Dec 12.

The US Treasury has added the names of 19 other Iranian nationals and companies in Europe and Asia to its list of sanctions.

Earlier, a member of Iran's nuclear negotiating delegation declared that expert talks between Iran and P5+1 ended in Vienna for some consultations in Tehran.

A group of experts in nuclear, financial, banking and oil headed by Hamid Ba'eidinejad, director general in political and international affairs of the foreign ministry, pariticipated in the negotiations.

The P5+1 side was headed by Stephen Clement, deputy and assistant to Catherine Ashton, European Union foreign policy chief.

Deputy Director General and head of safeguards department of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Tero Varjoranta also attended the talks as an observer.

Iran's nuclear and IAEA experts have been holding talks since Wednesday in Vienna, which both sides called constructive.

The next round of talks would be held in Tehran Jan 21, 2014.