Iran, U.S. diplomats discuss nuclear program privately

GENEVA – Iranian diplomats Tuesday laid out a plan to address international concerns about their nation’s nuclear program and held a rare private meeting with their U.S. counterparts as two days of talks between Iran and six world powers got underway.

In another sign of easing tensions between their nations, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman and other Americans met for an hour with Iranians led by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the U.N.’s Palais des Nations.

Yet though U.S. officials praised the Iranians for their willingness to delve into technical details, it was not clear that the Iranian delegation had given the Americans what they wanted to hear about curbing the nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Araghchi spoke mostly in broad terms about their goals, diplomats said.