Iranian Speaker Upbeat on Final Nuclear Deal
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said he believes an ultimate agreement on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program is “quite possible” before a November 24 deadline.
“I think it is quite possible,” Larijani said of a long-awaited deal between Iran and six world powers (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), in an interview with CNN on Tuesday.
“Of course, this (is) providing that both sides are serious enough about reaching a deal,” he added.
“I think the remaining issues, or the outstanding issues, can be resolved by that deadline, November twenty fourth,” Larijani, himself Iran’s former senior nuclear negotiator, noted.
His comments came amid a new round of nuclear negotiations between Iranian diplomats and those representing the US and the EU in Austria’s Vienna.
Reports also suggest that negotiators from the all seven countries, along with Ashton who coordinates diplomacy with Iran on behalf of the G5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3), are planned to hold a meeting in Vienna on Thursday.
In optimistic comments, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also said on Monday that Tehran and the six world powers can hammer out differences on the comprehensive accord before the deadline.
“We believe that the issues (about a final nuclear deal) could be ultimately resolved within the remaining 40 days,” said Rouhani.
On November 24, 2013, Iran and the six countries signed an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Based on the interim deal, the world powers agreed to suspend some non-essential sanctions and to impose no new nuclear-related bans in return for Tehran’s decision to freeze parts of its nuclear activities.
In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 in the hope of clinching a final deal.
