Final nuclear deal possible before deadline

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says it is possible to reach a final nuclear deal before the November 24 deadline should six world powers show political will.

Zarif said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has put forward various proposals during its nuclear talks with six world powers to assure them of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear work.

“We have entered the final phase of the negotiations,” said the top Iranian diplomat, adding that Tehran and the world powers could reach a final nuclear agreement “if the opposite side has the political will to reach a solution” to Iran’s nuclear issue.

Zarif expressed hoped that the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the six powers would lead to a result that guarantees the country’s peaceful nuclear rights.

“Whatever the outcome, either an agreement or resistance against excessive demands, we hope that November 24 will become a national victory in achieving the objectives we were pursuing in theses negotiation,” he added.

The top Iranian diplomat voiced optimism that any permanent nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers would both respect the Iranian nation’s rights and allay “legitimate” concerns of the international community.

Zarif made the comments upon his arrival in the Austrian capital, Vienna, which is slated to host one week of intense negotiations between Tehran and the six countries – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany from November 18 to 24.

Sources close to the Iranian negotiating team say the main stumbling block in the way of resolving the Western dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program remains to be the removal of all the bans imposed on the country, and not the number of centrifuges or the level of uranium enrichment.

Tehran wants the sanctions entirely lifted while Washington, under pressure from the pro-Israeli lobby, insists that at least the UN-imposed sanctions should remain in place.