Zarif: Drafting nuclear deal to start today

Iran’s foreign minister says the Islamic Republic and the members of the P5+1 group of countries are to start drafting a final nuclear accord on Wednesday.

Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday that his colleagues are to start the process of drafting the agreement between Iran and the P5+1 — the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany — on the following day.

He said the process would be followed up next week on the sidelines of the ninth review conference for the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York.

“I, too, will depart for New York on Sunday to attend the conference and participate in the negotiations.”

Iran and the P5+1 reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program in Lausanne, Switzerland, on April 2.

According to the joint statement resulting from the Swiss talks, which is considered the basis for a final nuclear deal, the two sides have devised a mechanism to lift anti-Iran sanctions after the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is reached.