Iranian and EU foreign policy heads ended their two-day round of nuclear talks in Vienna on Wednesday March 19 with a press conference.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton made a brief summary of the negotiations and said the talks will continue toward a final resolution after the Iranian New Year celebrations on April 7.
Reuters quoted Zarif saying in Vienna on Wednesday that the negotiations are proceeding well and he is optimistic about managing to reach a deal by the end of July, which marks the end of the six-month period covered by the interim deal reached last November.
Zarif’s deputy, Abbas Araghchi, reported that the Arak heavy water reactor was one of the main topics of discussion, saying: “The issue is how to reduce and minimize the concerns about proliferation.”
Iran maintains that the Arak reactor is for producing radio isotopes for use in the medical field. The West has expressed concerns that the reactor may be used in the production of nuclear weapons.
