New Round of Iran-Sextet N. Talks Kicks Off in Vienna


New Round of Iran-Sextet N. Talks Kicks Off in Vienna

VIENNA (Tasnim) - Austria’s capital city of Vienna hosts delegations representing Iran and the six major world powers for a fresh round of talks that commenced minutes ago, with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.

The new round of negotiations between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France as well as Germany) are being held roughly one month after they wrapped up the most recent high-profile talks in the same city on April 9.

The ongoing talks are expected to extend over three days, with the negotiating parties geared up to start drafting the text of a final, comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

They have already signed an interim six-month deal on Tehran’s nuclear activities in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013.

The interim deal (the Joint Plan of Action), which has come into effect since January 20, stipulates that over the course of six months, Iran and the six countries will draw up a comprehensive nuclear deal which will lead to a lifting of the whole sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

And now the new round of talks, which a senior Iranian negotiator described as “the most crucial stage” in the course of talks thus far, is aimed at reaching a compromise on the text of a long-awaited nuclear deal.

In the meantime, Iranian foreign minister and chief negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif, reiterated on Tuesday that an ultimate agreement is possible, but it depends on “how the other side enters the talks with goodwill and realism.”

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who liaises with Iran on behalf of the six countries, Zarif expressed the hope that a final deal would be achieved within a “logical timeframe”, although three more rounds of talks are scheduled by the middle of July.

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