Al-manar

Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said that no progress has yet been achieved in trilateral talks between Iran, the US, and the EU over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

Araqchi

Speaking to Press TV correspondent on Monday, Araqchi said negotiations in the Omani capital, Muscat, were useful, however, no headway was made.

He said the sides are now “working on solutions” after months of talks on different subjects, adding that the Iranian side believes that “negotiations in the past two days and discussions were very useful. But we are not still in a position to say that we have made progress. It’s yet to be done in the coming days. We would be available as much as needed here in Oman or in any other places before the deadline of 24 of November. We are still hopeful.”

The top negotiator noted that a lot of work has remained to be done and more expert-level and bilateral meetings were required.

Araqchi added that the process of striking a comprehensive deal on Iran’s nuclear energy program needs “lots of goodwill by all parties and of course readiness to make difficult decisions.”

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU negotiator, Catherine Ashton, wrapped up two days of discussions.

Araqchi further described the issue of uranium enrichment as a “key question” for the other side and the lifting of sanctions slapped on Iran as a “very important key question” for Tehran.
Referring to different aspects of sanctions, Araqchi said the sides have to find a solution about “how and when these sanctions are removed.”

“It’s a fact that based on a possible comprehensive solution all the sanctions should be lifted,” he said, expressing hope that the negotiating sides could find a settlement to the issue of enrichment.

“Iran would certainly continue its enrichment, but the question is the capacity of this enrichment which should be determined based on our practical needs and that would be something we are very hopeful to come to at the end of these negotiations.”