EU top negotiator says confident deal to be reached in JCPOA

“We have made substantial progress over the last 10 days but there are still things to be worked on and we will reconvene next week and we will continue working,” Enrique Mora, who is coordinating indirect talks between Iran and the United States, told reporters at the end of a fourth round of negotiations in Vienna.

Talks resumed in Vienna on May 7 with the remaining parties to the deal - Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - meeting in Grand Hotel in Vienna, Reuters news agency reported.

“I am quite sure that there will be a final agreement,” Mora said. “I think we are on the right track and we will get an agreement.”

Asked if he was saying there would be a deal in the next round, Mora said, “I cannot venture such a prediction. What I can venture is that there will be an agreement, yeah, sure.”

Officials have said they hope to reach a deal by May 21, when an agreement between Tehran and the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, on continued monitoring of some Iranian nuclear activities is due to expire.

Mora said he Iran was continuing to negotiate with the IAEA on extending that agreement.

MA/PR