Iran optimistic about progress in nuclear talks: Araqchi

A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator says Tehran is optimistic about progress in the nuclear talks despite many disagreements between Iran and the P5+1 group of powers, Press TV reports.

“Everything is serious. There are many disagreements. We are trying to bridge the gaps. We are not hopeless. We are still hopeful and optimistic,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi told Press TV in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Friday.

He, however, added that it is “too soon” to judge whether or not the sides can find solutions to all issues and reach an agreement by the end of this round of talks.  

The Iranian deputy foreign minister emphasized that the ongoing negotiations are aimed at finding solutions to all issues “so that we can put them on paper over the next months.”

He noted that the two sides’ negotiators are holding “serious” talks and "we will be here as long as its necessary."

“We will try to move the negotiations forward. A lot depends on political will from the other side and their readiness to make political decisions,” Araqchi added.

He said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks for a second day on Friday in the presence of head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi, US Energy Minister Ernest Moniz, and deputy foreign ministers.

The Iranian negotiating team will also meet the other members of the P5+1 group and probably hold a meeting with all the six countries by the end of the day, the Iranian official said.

Araqchi expressed hope that such meetings would bring about “progress in the talks” and that no external factors would influence the negotiations.

Iran, P5+1 must solve difficult technical items: Salehi

The AEOI chief said he is moving forward with technical discussions with his American counterpart, adding that the two sides should press ahead with their talks to reach a common understanding.

“There are difficult items that have to be resolved. We are doing our best,” Salehi told reporters after his meeting with Moniz on Friday.

He said many different items have been discussed by the two sides, adding, “We have come close to a common understanding on some of them but we still have our differences on a number of those items.”

A fresh round of talks about Tehran’s nuclear program began in Lausanne on Thursday with a meeting between the Iranian foreign minister and US secretary of state as part of broader negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 countries aimed at clinching a final nuclear deal.

Iran and the six global powers – the US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany -- have been in talks to resolve outstanding issues surrounding Tehran’s nuclear activities to pave the way for striking an overarching deal on the country’s nuclear program as a deadline slated for July 1 draws closer.

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