MUSCAT, November 9- US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif started talks Sunday in Oman, the latest diplomatic effort ahead of a November 24 nuclear deal deadline.
The diplomats are meeting at the Al Bustan Palace Ritz Carlton Hotel in Muscat but no questions were taken when they shook hands for the cameras around 11:30 am (0730 GMT).
They were pictured with former EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who will continue to chair the talks, before starting what is expected to be one day of discussions.
Iran and the P5+1 powers — Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany — are seeking an agreement to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme, in exchange for sanctions relief.