Intensive Nuclear Meetings in Vienna: Talks to Go Beyond June 30 Deadline

Intensive talks are being held in the Austrian capital, Vienna, between Iran annd the five major powers (P5+1) to reach a nuclear deal, the last of which was a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his US counterpart John Kerry on Sunday.

Deputy foreign ministers as well as experts from both sides were also present in the Sunday session. Zarif and Kerry had also met earlier on Saturday.

Ahead of his Saturday talks with Kerry, Zarif told reporters that hard work is needed to nail down a final nuclear deal, saying, “We’re determined to do everything we can in order to be able to get to this important milestone.”

Kerry, for his part, said he was hopeful but stressed that there was a lot of hard work to do to clinch a final agreement.

Meanwhile, European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said a deal could be reached if both sides show “strong political will.”

“I’m rather positive that if the strong political will is there from all the parties, we can get there,” Mogherini said Sunday upon her arrival in Vienna.

She added that the planned negotiations between the two sides in the next two days before a self-imposed deadline will be “tough… but not impossible and has I said it’s a matter of political will.”

“It is going to be tough but the political will is going to be based on the need that the international community has to find a good agreement,” the EU official said.

However, a spokesman for the Iranian delegation in talks in Vienna said talks between Iran and major powers on finalizing a historic nuclear deal will go beyond the June 30 deadline.

“Because there is still lots of work to do the delegations will remain beyond Tir 10 (July 1) to continue the negotiations and reach a good overall deal,” the spokesman said. “At the same time there is no desire or discussion yet on a long-term extension,” he said.

Officials have said that the deadline may be missed by a few days but until now no officials have confirmed that it will.