Deal may be reached in Vienna in middle of next week

Ongoing indirect talks between Iran and the United States are close to reaching an agreement, the chief British and French envoys said on Friday as they and their German colleague flew home to brief ministers.

"We are close. E3 negotiators leaving Vienna briefly to update Ministers on state of play. Ready to return soon," Stephanie Al-Qaq said on Twitter, referring to the chief British, French, and German diplomats involved in the talks, Reuters reported.

"Hoping to return quickly to reach a conclusion because we are very, very close to an agreement," the French envoy, Philippe Errera, said on Twitter.

"As far as I know, the Iranians are not ready for direct talks," Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov also told reporters, referring to some claims that Tehran and Washington might be preparing to sit down together through diplomats.

"We will have a deal maybe in the middle of next week. We are talking about the last efforts before crossing the finish line", the Russian senior diplomat added.

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