Iran said the next round of nuclear talks with world powers over its nuclear program will be ‘difficult.’
Iran said the next round of nuclear talks with world powers over its nuclear program will be ‘difficult.’
Negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 -- Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China plus G
ermany -- restart in Geneva on Wednesday after the last round failed to seal a deal.
Senior negotiator Abbas Araqchi said "the next round of nuclear talks will be difficult," the official IRNA news agency reported.
"No agreement will be reached without securing the rights of the Iranian nation" on its nuclear program and uranium enrichment, he added.
Top diplomats insisted they were closing in on an interim agreement that would see Iran curb or freeze parts of its nuclear program for some relief from crippling sanctions.
Angered by the proposed deal, Israel has argued that Western powers can get a ‘better deal’ if they maintain or even ratchet up the sanctions.
Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed French President Francois Hollande to Israel on Sunday, said he would also discuss the matter with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Jerusalem on Friday.
"I hope we'll be able to convince our friends this week and in the following days to get a much better deal. It can be achieved," he said.
"I'm concerned, gravely concerned, that this deal will go through and in one stroke of the pen, it will reduce the sanctions on Iran -- sanctions that took years to put in place -- and in return for this, Iran gives practically nothing," Netanyahu said.
"Iran's dream deal is the world's nightmare."
