With the resumption of the nuclear negotiations in Vienna, Iranian officials and media have been signaling that the talks are headed in a positive direction and remaining issues can be solved by February.

An article headlined “Positive signs from all sides” in the economic newspaper Donya-e Eqtesad captured many of the optimistic readings coming out of Vienna by the negotiators. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Dec. 28 to reporters that negotiators are engaged in addressing points in which there are differences. He added that “reaching an agreement soon and in the near future is imaginable.” 

Headlines in Reformist media, which was always supportive of the nuclear deal, also suggested an agreement is close. Ebtekar wrote that the “smell of an agreement is coming from Vienna.” Etemad wrote that “the negotiations to revive the nuclear deal have sped up.” 

Even hardline media, which opposed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal, have covered the latest round of talks optimistically. Javan newspaper, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), titled their coverage “The possibility of an agreement in February.” The positive coverage was based on comments made by Russia’s and China’s top diplomats at the talks.