Intense N-talks continue between Iran, six powers in Geneva

Intense negotiations are underway in Geneva between permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany and Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.

The talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain and the US- plus Germany stretched into an unscheduled third day as negotiators pressed for a deal on Tehran’s civilian nuclear work.

France and Britain have expressed optimism on the third day of the talks.

After meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherin Ashton, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he hopes a specific agreement can be reached.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Iran and the six major world powers have made headway in the talks and urged both sides to take the chance to reach an agreement.

Western members of the UN Security Council seem to be holding talks under pressure from Israel which has opposed any deal with Iran.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “utterly” denounced a possible agreement in the course of the nuclear talks as “very, very bad.”

This is while Israel, which is the sole possessor of nuclear weapons in the Middle East with 200-400 warheads, has repeatedly threatened to launch a military strike against Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.

With the two previous days of intense negotiations being hailed as constructive, the Iranian foreign minister is holding talks with Ashton and US Secretary of State John Kerry for the second time on Saturday.

Zarif is expected to meet the Russian foreign minister later in the day.