Iran nuclear talks makes 'progress', Tehran says negotiations 'reached maturity'

High-ranking officials noted the progress made during the Iran Nuclear Deal talks on May 1 with diplomats from China, Germany, France, Russia, and the UK focussed on making the United States rejoin the pact with Iran. However, as per reports, they also said that more work and time is needed to bring about a future agreement. Following the meeting in Vienna, Russia’s top representative, Mikhail Ulyanov took to Twitter and said that the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, “noted today the indisputable progress made at the Vienna talks on the restoration of the nuclear deal.”

“The Joint Commission will reconvene at the end of the next week,” Ulyanov wrote. “In the meantime, experts will continue to draft elements of a future agreement.”

“It’s too early to be excited, but we have reasons for cautious and growing optimism,” he added. “There is no deadline, but participants aim at the successful completion of the talks in approximately 3 weeks.”

Iran: Talks reached 'maturity'

Even though the United States had no immediate comments on the reports of progress, Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi who participated in Vienna talks told the Iranian state media that discussions “have reached maturity.”

“I can say that now our discussions have reached a maturity, both in the disputed topics and in the sections that we are agreed on,” he told Iranian state TV. “Although we cannot yet fully predict when and how we will be able to reach an agreement, it is moving forward, although slowly.”

As per the Associated Press report, the Western European countries who took part in the talks struck a more restrained note. The media publication quoted senior diplomats saying on the condition of anonymity that, “We have much work and little time left. Against that background, we would have hoped for more progress this week...We have yet to come to an understanding on the most critical points. Success is by no means guaranteed, but not impossible.”

Image credits: AP