Iran, P5+1 Unlikely to Reach Deal in Less Than Four Months, Says Zarif

Tehran –  Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said here that it is unlikely for Iran and the P5+1 to reach a final nuclear deal before the expiry of the four-month extension of talks, according to IRNA.

Zarif underscored that if even Iran and the P5 +1 managed to strike a general agreement before the deadline, they would still need more time to negotiate the details of the deal.

Commenting on the general procedure of negotiations between Iran and P5+1 during the past seven months, he said the other party in the talks has been clearly moving on very cautiously.

Pointing to Iraq developments, and stressed Tehran’s long-standing very cordial interactions with all political groups in the Arab country with the objective of safeguarding its territorial integrity.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the US, France, Britain, Russia and China, plus Germany are seeking to reach a final agreement over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

The negotiating sides clinched a landmark interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23, 2013. The agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20.

In July, the two sides agreed on the extension of their discussions until November 24, 2014 in an effort to achieve a permanent nuclear deal.

R.S