The Iranian embassies in Austria and Switzerland have expressed concern about recent media reports that the venues of the talks between Iran and P5+1 in the two European countries have been spied on.

In separate official written messages to the foreign ministries of Austria and Switzerland, Iranian diplomatic missions in Vienna and Bern notified the two European countries of Iran’s serious concern over the security of the locations that host the negotiations between Iran and the six countries of P5+1.

The Iranian embassies demanded that any information found in an investigation of the issue be shared with the Islamic Republic.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry was asked in particular to take whatever measures necessary to provide security, including cyber-security, for the venue of the talks.

Vienna is currently hosting the latest round of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six other states – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany.

On Thursday, Swiss and Austrian officials said they have begun investigating reports that a computer virus linked to Israel targeted the hotels used by the delegates from Iran and P5+1.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday that spyware, widely believed to be used by Israeli spies, had attacked the computer systems of the hotels hosting the sensitive negotiations.

Experts at Russia-based Cybersecurity Company Kaspersky were quoted by the Journal as saying that the firm had found at the sites traces of malware believed to be used by Israel. The company dubbed it Duqu Bet, and said it was an “improved version” of the Duqu virus, which has previously been used by the Israeli regime.

On Thursday, a source with the Iranian nuclear negotiating team said the negotiators had already been taking into consideration “the high risk and possibility of eavesdropping and are always cautious” regardless of the recent espionage reports.

Negotiators from Iran and P5+1 have held talks at Swiss hotels of Beau-Rivage Palace, Royal Plaza Montreux, Intercontinental and Hotel President Wilson as well as Palais Coburg in Vienna.

The two sides are working to reach a comprehensive nuclear accord by the end of June.

The diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue has sharply irked Israel, with the regime’s officials being engaged in heavy lobbying to thwart a final accord between Iran and its negotiating partners.

A senior Iranian cleric has urged support for the country’s negotiators involved in nuclear talks with six world powers, saying potential criticism should not undermine the negotiators.

In a sermon to worshippers at the weekly Friday Prayers, Tehran interim Friday Prayer leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami described as “a sensitive issue” the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain, and the United States – plus Germany.

While everyone is entitled to express their views about the negotiations, Ayatollah Khatami said, everyone should help the negotiators – “warriors on the diplomacy front” – to accomplish their tasks.

Ayatollah Khatami also said that the authorities, in return, should avoid considering any criticism or gathering aimed at discussing the negotiations as destructive.

Such gatherings must, however, be aimed at boosting the Iranian negotiators’ bargaining power and strengthening their position in the talks, he added.

The senior Iranian cleric further said that the Islamic Republic seeks a good deal, which he said is one that would respect the Islamic Republic’s red lines.

Diplomats and experts from Iran and the six other countries are in talks to hammer out a comprehensive nuclear deal by June 30, a deadline set by the negotiating sides themselves.

The two sides reached mutual understanding on the fundamental parameters of a final accord in Lausanne, Switzerland, onApril 2, and have since been working on the text of the deal.

Intelligence Minister Seyyed Mahmoud Alavi said that Iran’s nuclear negotiating team has never crossed the red lines outlined by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Addressing a gathering of preachers in Khorasan Razavi Province, he said that the Supreme Leader has on several occasions voiced support for the nuclear negotiating team and also his concern about opposing parties’ performance.

The minister further noted that the negotiators are following the Supreme Leader’s lead and are defending the county’s indisputable rights to peaceful nuclear energy.

At the current juncture, all – both opponents and proponents – should support nuclear negotiating team in line with the Supreme Leader’s guidelines, Alavi said.

Recalling designation of the current Iranian year as the ‘Year of Solidarity and Harmony between the Nation and Government’, he said that the issue should be heeded by all strata of the society.

The minister also called on the preachers to pay attention to audience and present materials according to their needs.

He said the youth should be directed towards rationality so that the enemies’ plot can be foiled.

Describing ISIL as brainchild of British, US and Saudi Arabia’s intelligence services, Alavi said that arrogant powers have launched proxy wars to divide Islamic states and region.

Political directors of Iran and 5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) stated in their meeting Fridaythat they want to accelerate the nuclear talks, head of the Iranian experts delegation to the negotiations announced on Friday.

Hamid Baeedinejad, who is the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Director General for Political and Security Affairs, wrote in his Instagram account that after several days of nonstop meeting among the political directors of the seven nations, the delegations had a review meeting earlier today.

“At this meeting, the trend of previous discussions came under study and the seven nations stated their serious willingness to speed up progress in the talks,” the Iranian negotiator added.

Two years of negotiations among the seven nations produced a political framework agreement in April at the Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne.

Diplomats hope to conclude the talks with a final, comprehensive agreement sealed by July 1.

[…]

Talks are underway among the delegations of the seven nations to draft the final deal.

[…]