Russia sees ‘progress’ in Iran nuclear talks

“We note some progress, including on issues that have been the most difficult all the time,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the ITAR-TASS news agency on Monday.

Iran and the six countries – Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany – resumed negotiations on the Iranian nuclear energy program in New York on Friday to reach a final agreement aimed at resolving the standoff over Tehran’s civilian nuclear work.

Ryabkov, who is representing his country in the talks, said that “the Russian delegation has put forward additional ideas” in the ongoing nuclear negotiations in New York.

“We are in intensive contacts with other delegations at the level of political directors as well as at the expert level,” the Russian diplomat said.

“There are no grounds for concern. But we must keep working in this mode with concentration,” he added.

Earlier on Saturday, senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said “a very good atmosphere prevails” in the ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group.

Araqchi said that differences on some issues exist but the two sides have expressed determination to continue the negotiations.

Last November, Iran and the six world powers signed an interim deal in Geneva, which took effect on January 20 and expired six months later.

In July, Iran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 this year after they failed to reach common ground on a number of key issues.