Iran nuclear talks serious: Top negotiator

A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator has described as “serious” nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group of world powers.

“The atmosphere of the negotiations is completely serious and transparent, and the parties [to the talks] are interested in reaching an agreement [on Iran’s nuclear energy program],” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday.

Araqchi made the remarks after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry met in the Swiss city of Geneva to discuss the progress in Iran’s nuclear talks.

The meeting in Geneva comes before a fresh round of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 countries – the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany. Both sides are still working on outstanding issues for a final deal over the Iranian nuclear energy program.

Like Iran, he added, the other side is also serious in the negotiations, and it is clear that the two sides are determined to clinch a deal.

“All efforts are underway,” the senior Iranian negotiator said, adding, “It is, however, too early to judge the outcome of the talks.”

“We hope to reach a comprehensive agreement in the end,” the Iranian diplomat further noted.

Iran and the six countries seek to seal an overarching nuclear deal by the July 1 deadline. The scale of Iran’s uranium enrichment and the timetable for the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions are seen as major sticking points.