Zarif: Significant progress made in N-talks, no results yet

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran and the P5+1 have made “significant progress” in their latest negotiations over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Press TV reports.

The top Iranian diplomat stressed, however, that “no final result” has yet been achieved, and differences remain both between Iran and the P5+1 and among the six major world powers themselves.

“We have made significant progress, we don’t have any final result yet,” Zarif said.

“The P5+1 and EU are six countries and a big regional organization that have different interests and viewpoints, it is difficult, on the one hand negotiating with them, and on the other, the countries themselves, reaching coordination, so I believe if talks reach a conclusion and an agreement is made, which must be based on international law and must be drafted by the end of June, [it] is a significant and unprecedented act, maybe in recent history,” he said.

   “But we still are not there. I need to stress that difference of opinion exists both between Iran and the 5+1 and between the 5+1 itself not just on this issue, but on all issues,” Zarif said.

While delegations from Iran and the P5+1 have remained in the Swiss city of Lausanne over prospects of imminent mutual understanding between the two sides, marathon negotiations, which lasted several hours overnight Wednesday and into early Thursday, have not yet resumed today.

Iran and the P5+1 group have been negotiating to reach a comprehensive deal over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

The ongoing round of talks in Lausanne faced a self-designated deadline of March 31 for the negotiating parties to come up with mutual understanding on outstanding issues. The talks, however, went into overtime as progress was made and the prospects for reaching understanding were enhanced.

The sides now face a June deadline to conclude the overarching deal over Iran’s nuclear program.

Press TV

H.M