Iran, US officials, hint nuclear talks close to an agreement

The final round of discussions between western powers and Iran over the nuclear deal is still ongoing. However, both US and Iranian officials have suggested that the discussions are coming to an end, with the hopes of reaching an agreement.

From the ongoing discussions in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal, officials from both sides have indicated that the talks are coming to an end, with a chance of reaching an agreement. Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said Wednesday that both sides are very close to reaching a deal from the discussions in Vienna.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the next few days would determine whether the nuclear deal with Iran could be restored.

“Our assessment is that we are in the midst of the very final stages of, as I said before, a complex negotiation with the key stakeholders here,” said Price. “This is a decisive period during which we’ll be able to determine whether a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA is in the offing or if it’s not.”

“After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement; nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though,” Kani tweeted around the same time Price made the comments. Kani also called on his counterparts in Vienna to steer clear of “intransigence” and learn from what happened from Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the deal. Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 and instead imposed sanctions on Iran.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the ongoing negotiations, Reuters reports Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Thursday that the country will continue to develop a peaceful nuclear capacity to preserve independence. In a televised speech, Khamenei said that the country is in need of nuclear energy that would be used in a peaceful manner. Khamenei explained that should Iran not pursue nuclear energy, their independence will be in the balance.

“We will sooner or later need peaceful nuclear energy. If we do not pursue it…our independence will be harmed,” said the Iranian leader.

“Diplomatic efforts by our revolutionary brothers in trying to get rid of the sanctions are also good but the main task is to neutralize the sanctions,” Khamenei continued.