Tehran, Dec 23

Little progress has been made in the ongoing expert-level nuclear talks between the representative of the Islamic republic and six world powers, Iran's top nuclear negotiator has said.

Abbas Araqchi made the remarks Saturday when the meeting concluded its third day in Geneva, Xinhua reported Sunday. The talks between Iran and the P5+1 group -- US, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany -- are expected to develop mechanisms for implementing a deal they struck last month.

Hamid Baidinejad, the director general for political and international affairs of Iranian foreign ministry, is leading the Iranian delegation, which comprises experts from nuclear, banking, oil and transportation sectors.

Stephen Clement, an aide to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton heads the Sextet's negotiating team.

Iran, last week, quit the expert-level meeting in protest of the US' blacklisting of additional individuals and companies allegedly violated existing Western sanctions against Iran.

Iran and the P5+1 group struck a deal in Geneva Nov 24, in which Iran agreed to freeze part of its nuclear programme in exchange for limited ease of sanctions which had badly hurt its economy.

By:IANS