Iran, P5+1 continue nuclear talks in Vienna for fifth day

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries have continued their sensitive talks in the Austrian capital of Vienna for the fifth consecutive day over the text of a possible comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iranian deputy foreign ministers, Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, sat down with European Union deputy foreign policy chief, Helga Schmid, who represents the P5+1 countries, in Vienna on Sunday.

The director general for political and international security affairs at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Hamid Baeidinejad, and Stephen Clement, aide to Schmid, led the expert-level talks.

The Iranian deputy foreign ministers, who have been holding talks since Wednesday, are set to return to Tehran. However, the technical teams of Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany will continue consultations for the next two days.

On Saturday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran is doing its best to reach an agreement with the P5+1 that abides by all the red lines and that safeguards all the interests of the Iranian nation.

Speaking in a press conference in Tehran, he added that Iran is very serious in the negotiations and, while it is in no rush for an agreement, it will draw on all of its capabilities to achieve one.

The Iranian president also said the talks are progressing in general, although there are disagreements.

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – are seeking to finalize a comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear program by June 30.

Iran and its negotiating partners have been working on the text of a final agreement since they reached a mutual understanding on the key parameters of a final deal in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.