Iran and six world powers have made progress in nuclear negotiations and will start drafting a comprehensive deal in May
Iran and six world powers have made progress in nuclear negotiations and will start drafting a comprehensive deal in May, according to US officials.
“We have set out a work plan on how to p
roceed to get a comprehensive agreement…and we are on pace with that work plan and look to begin drafting in May,” a senior US administration official, speaking not for attribution, said on Friday.
“All of the parties are committed to finishing within the six-month [duration of the] Joint Plan of Action,” the official said. “I am absolutely convinced that we can.”
Iran and the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany reached an interim deal on November 24, 2013, in Geneva.
Under the Geneva deal, the six countries agreed to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no nuclear-related sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same time frame.
On Friday, another senior US official said that no other meetings will be held outside of those which have taken place on the sidelines of the meetings in Vienna and those which have been announced so far, the Associated Press reported.
The official also said that it may be true that US authorities are expressing more confidence about reaching a final accord, particularly in a period of six months without requiring an extension since comprehensive deal talks got underway in February.
“I think you’re right to say increasing confidence since the talks started – everyone has kept their commitments in implementing the JPOA, we’re having substantive and detailed discussions about the issues that will have to be part of a comprehensive agreement,” the official said.
However, “we are still clear-eyed about how tough this will be,” the official said, adding “the real question is if everyone is willing to make the tough choices this will require.”
