�Final phase� in Iran N-talks

AFP, VIENNA: Tortuous talks towards a historic Iran nuclear deal entered yesterday what France’s foreign minister said he believed is the “final phase” but with Tehran warning that “political will” was still required.
“I hope we are finally entering the final phase of these marathon negotiations. I believe it,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters as he returned to Vienna on the 16th day of talks.
“A deal is in reach,” agreed Iranian diplomat Alireza Miryousefi, adding however on Twitter on the eve of the latest effective deadline for an accord: “It only requires political will at this point.”
Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been locking horns with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in the Austrian capital since June 27, was hopeful but said that “tough” issues remained.
“I think we’re getting to some real decisions. So I will say, because we have a few tough things to do, I remain hopeful. Hopeful,” Kerry said, calling his latest meeting with Zarif “positive”.
The talks are aimed at nailing down a deal curbing Iran’s nuclear activities in order to make it extremely difficult for Tehran—which denies any such aim—to develop the atomic bomb.
In return Iran will be granted staggered relief from painful sanctions, although the six powers are insisting that they retain the option to reimpose the restrictions if Tehran violates the deal.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini who chairs the P5+1 group—the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany—said Sunday on Twitter that these were the “decisive hours”.
And a diplomatic source said Saturday as a flurry of bilateral and multilateral meetings went deep into the night that “98 percent of the text is finished”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was mean while on his way to join the talks in Vienna, his ministry said. Under the parameters of a framework deal reached in Lausanne in April, Iran is to slash the number of its centrifuges from more than 19,000 to just over 6,000 and sharply cut its stocks of enriched uranium, which could be used for a bomb.

�Final phase� in Iran N-talks

AFP, VIENNA: Tortuous talks towards a historic Iran nuclear deal entered yesterday what Frances foreign minister said he believed is the final phase but with Tehran warning that political will was still required. I hope we are finally entering the final phase of these marathon negotiations. I believe it, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters as he returned to Vienna on the 16th day of talks. A deal is in reach, agreed Iranian diplomat Alireza Miryousefi, adding however on Twitter on the eve of the latest effective deadline for an accord: It only requires political will at this point. Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been locking horns with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in the Austrian capital since June 27, was hopeful but said that tough issues remained. I think were getting to some real decisions. So I will say, because we have a few tough things to do, I remain hopeful. Hopeful, Kerry said, calling his latest meeting with Zarif positive. The talks are aimed at nailing down a deal curbing Irans nuclear activities in order to make it extremely difficult for Tehranwhich denies any such aimto develop the atomic bomb. In return Iran will be granted staggered relief from painful sanctions, although the six powers are insisting that they retain the option to reimpose the restrictions if Tehran violates the deal. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini who chairs the P5+1 groupthe US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germanysaid Sunday on Twitter that these were the decisive hours. And a diplomatic source said Saturday as a flurry of bilateral and multilateral meetings went deep into the night that 98 percent of the text is finished. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was mean while on his way to join the talks in Vienna, his ministry said. Under the parameters of a framework deal reached in Lausanne in April, Iran is to slash the number of its centrifuges from more than 19,000 to just over 6,000 and sharply cut its stocks of enriched uranium, which could be used for a bomb.