The top nuclear officials of Iran and the United States joined talks on Iran’s nuclear program Saturday for the first time, stepping up efforts to reach a deal by a March 31 deadline.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, and U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz traveled to Geneva to participate in the negotiations.

Their presence was expected to help resolve ongoing technical disputes standing in the way of an agreement between Iran and the six world powers known as the P5+1.

A deal between Iran and the group – made up of the U.S., Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia – would curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is flying to Geneva Sunday for two days of discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Meeting the British foreign secretary in London Saturday ahead of the trip to Geneva, Kerry said the P5+1 remains united on Iran.

“There is absolutely no divergence whatsover in what we believe is necessary for Iran to prove that its nuclear program is going to be peaceful in the future,” he said.

The latest talks come as a new report from the United Nations nuclear agency said it remains concerned about the possible existence of “undisclosed nuclear-related activities” in Iran that could include work linked to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile.

But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran is in compliance with some provisions of a nuclear agreement.

Iranian state media reports quote Iran’s IAEA ambassador, Reza Najafi, as saying the findings show his country’s “full transparency” and the peaceful nature of its program.
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