No Deadline Set, Negotiations Going On, Says Zarif

Vienna – Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said that no deadline was set for reaching an agreement, adding that the talks are going on.

Zarif said that the seven countries’ negotiating teams just continue their tasks, using every possible opportunity for achieving progress, ensuring progress in the talks.

The American and European sources had earlier announced that the talks’ period had been extended for a week, but the Iranian officials argue that date (July 7) is merely due to the European and American sanctions’ regulations as well as the restrictions that the Americans have for presenting the context of the deal to the US Congress before the summer holidays.

Asked about a visit to Iran of IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, Zarif said that Amano is officially invited by Iran for a series of consultations.

A busy day for Salehi, FM deputies

Wednesday was a busy day for Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali-Akbar Salehi, and Deputies Foreign Minister AbbassAraqchi and MajidTakht-Ravanchifor the long talks they had with Western officials.

Salehi and the US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz held two and a half hours of talks at noon and then they joined talks of the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-JavadZarif and the US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Araqchi and Takht-Ravanchi have also on their agenda work on the text of the final deal and work on supplements of the expert team talks. They spent much time Wednesday on talks with European Union Political Director Helga Schmid and the US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, on ways of scaling down differences.

As of Thursday, the German, British and Chinese Foreign Ministers as well as the EU Foreign Policy Coordinator, Federica Mogherini, will come to Vienna to meet and confer with Zarif.

French sources say French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will be in Austria on Thursday.

The Iran-G5+1 deadline for drafting text of comprehensive accord came to an end on Tuesday and from no on talks will continue to decrease differences and draft the comprehensive accord in the extra extended time.

Kerry reiterates progress in Iran nuclear talks

US Secretary of State reaffirmed progress has been made in the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers, IRNA reported in Vienna on Wednesday.

Addressing the press on the sidelines of the Iran nuclear negotiations on the occasion of the resumption of full diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba, he said, ‘We are working very hard and we have some very difficult issues and we believe we are making progress and we go on continue to work because of that.’

Kerry met bilaterally earlier in the day with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad JavadZarif.

The nuclear talks in Vienna went into overtime as all seven parties are inching towards a final comprehensive agreement.

Nuclear talks suitable opportunity for Iran

On the other hand  in Sabzevar, Member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mohammad Reza MohseniSanisaid on Wednesday that clinching the final nuclear deal or missing it both should be regarded as an opportunity for Iran.

The legitimacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been proven to the world and the theory for Iran’s access to nuclear bomb has been cleared from minds of world public opinion, he said.

The world has accepted Iran’s nuclear power and in nuclear talks they have admitted that it is among legitimate rights of the country to enrich uranium and to take advantage of its rights, he said.

Lauding the efforts of the Iranian negotiators, he said, ‘We hope the negotiating team who won support of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution to attain significant achievements in diplomacy and nuclear field.’

On importance of economic resistance, he said Iran should follow the agenda to turn into a powerful and independent state in the world.

IRNA

R.S