Roundup: Iran's FM optimistic about solution to nuclear issue despite differences

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif on Saturday expressed optimism about a solution to his country's nuclear issue despite the fact that wide gaps between Tehran and the world powers remain.

"I seriously believe that a solution (to Iran's nuclear issue) is within reach," Zarif told the state IRIB in Geneva before flying back to Tehran.

"We think political decision is the only way to this end," he said, adding that if the West is after a deal and negotiation with the Islamic republic, they should also make a political decision.

The minister emphasized the West has tried to pressure Iran but to no avail. "Talks and pressures cannot be collected," he said.

Over the past days, "serious, accurate and clear discussions" over the disputed nuclear topics were held and they will be continued in the following days, he said.

"We are seriously doing our job and believe that the solution is within reach," he reiterated.

In the meantime, Iranian deputy foreign minister and the senior nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, said on Saturday that wide gaps over some issues still remain between Iran and the world powers in the talks over the nuclear program.

"The atmosphere prevailing the (ongoing nuclear) negotiations is completely serious and the two sides are determined to reach an agreement, but there are problems, distances and different views," Araqchi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

The distances are very wide over certain issues and in some other cases the gaps are very narrow, he said, adding that "we are trying to narrow down the distances between the two sides."

Iran's Arak heavy water reactor is an area of difference between Iran and the world powers and the parties have not reached an acceptable formula yet, Araqchi was quoted as saying by semi-official ISNA news agency.

Iran and the P5+1 group are working to reach a framework of agreement by the end of March, the Iranian senior nuclear negotiator said.

"We are still hopeful and think that if the other side shows the necessary determination and good will, reaching an agreement will be possible," Araqchi said in Geneva.

On Friday, Araqchi said that the path leading towards a final comprehensive agreement on Tehran's nuclear program is still hard.

"Finding a solution is really a difficult and heavy task, but we hope that we could achieve a result in the remaining time to the deadline," Araqchi said after a meeting between the Iranian and U.S. negotiators in Geneva.

No one could say how far the talks between Iran and the P5+1 group, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, have progressed so far, he was quoted as saying.

After intensive nuclear talks failed to meet the deadline for a comprehensive deal over Tehran's controversial nuclear program, the foreign ministers from the Islamic republic and the P5+1 group agreed in Nov. 2014 to extend the deadline for another seven months, in an attempt to secure the prospects of a deal.

The United States and Iranian negotiators on Thursday began their three-day talks. The bilateral engagements would be immediately followed by talks between Iran and the P5+1, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, at the deputy foreign ministers level on Sunday.

Based on the interim Geneva deal or the so-called Joint Plan of Action which was sealed on Nov. 24, 2013, Tehran would suspend its nuclear program while the West would loosen economic sanctions. Endit