Iran Nuclear Talks To Resume Before the End of the Year

Expected to begin again after Christmas

BRUSSELS—Talks between Iran and six major powers on implementing last month's nuclear deal will resume after Christmas, a spokeswoman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Monday.

Baroness Ashton spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Sunday, the spokeswoman said, after experts held three days of fresh implementation talks in Geneva.

"There will be a break in technical talks over Christmas," said the spokeswoman, Maja Kocijancic. "We expect that technical talks will resume before the new year."

The Nov. 24 confidence-building deal saw Iran agreeing to curtail some of its nuclear activities in exchange for a modest relaxing of international sanctions on the country. The agreement was seen as a first step toward a comprehensive accord the two sides hope to sign within 12 months.