Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday the talks between Iran and the three European countries involved in the international diplomacy on Tehran’s nuclear program were “useful” and “constructive”.
The senior nuclear negotiator made the remarks after a day of talks in Vienna with Britain, France, and Germany aimed at narrowing gaps in negotiating positions in broader nuclear talks with the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany).
Araqchi said the talks helped the two sides better understand each other’s views, but there are still wide differences over major issues.
“We are always optimistic ... but we have a difficult road to go,” he told reporters.
He said the Vienna talks were held in preparation for the next round of high-level talks between Iran and the six major powers scheduled to be held in New York on September 18 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.
Before the start of talks with the three European countries, Araqchi had said Iran and the major powers would be able to reach a final deal to resolve the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program if the parties negotiated in good faith and abandoned “illogical demands”.
Iran and the P5+1 failed to meet a self-imposed July 20 deadline to clinch a long-term settlement to the nuclear dispute and agreed to extend the talks until November 24 to provide more time and space to hammer out a comprehensive deal. They also undertook to continue implementing the terms of the Geneva interim nuclear deal while the talks on a final deal are underway.
Under the Geneva accord, which was signed by Tehran and the major powers last November, Iran agreed to scale down parts of its nuclear work for six months in exchange for limited sanctions relief. The deal came into force on January 20.
