Finish line in sight at Iran nuclear talks
Substantial progress has been made in resolving key issues for a final Iran nuclear deal, but diplomats said some big and small issues still remain to be overcome to conclude the deal.
VIENNA — Substantial progress has been made in resolving key issues in the past days, putting a final Iran nuclear deal within reach, but big and small differences still need to be overcome to close the deal, diplomats said July 4.
“We never progressed as far as we [have] now, we never went so far in drafting, however there are still differences,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with Iran’s state television (IRIB) Channel 1 on July 4.
Most notably, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said July 4 that his agency could issue an assessment on past possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program by the end of the year, if Iran cooperates.
“With the cooperation from Iran, I think we can issue a report by the end of the year on the assessment of the clarification of the issues related to possible military dimensions,” IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano told reporters July 4 outside Vienna’s Coburg Palace hotel, where Iran final deal negotiations are taking place.
