Optimism seen for nuclear pact progress

VIENNA－Top negotiators in renewed talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal indicated on Sunday that they are optimistic about the possibility of reaching a nuclear agreement.

"We stand five minutes or five seconds from the finish line," Russian Ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov told reporters outside Vienna's Palais Coburg, four days into the talks. He said there are "three or four issues" left to be resolved.

"They are sensitive, especially for Iranians and Americans," Ulyanov said. "I cannot guarantee, but the impression is that we are moving in the right direction."

Enrique Mora, the European Union's top negotiator, also said he is "absolutely" optimistic about the talks' progress so far.

"We are advancing, and I expect we will close the negotiations soon," he told Iranian media.

Negotiators from Iran, the United States and the EU resumed indirect talks over Teheran's tattered nuclear deal on Thursday after a monthslong standstill in negotiations.

In a phone conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran does not seek possession of nuclear weapons.

'Contrary to our policies'

"Nuclear weapons have no place in the doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran and are contrary to our policies and beliefs," Amir-Abdollahian was quoted by the ministry's website as saying.

"The supreme leader's fatwa about the use of nuclear weapons is clear for everyone," he said, referring to the religious decree of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that bans the possession and use of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.

He stressed the implementation of all aspects of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a landmark international treaty that pursues nuclear disarmament. He also said the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East should be given serious attention, and Iran is ready to cooperate.

Iran struck the nuclear deal in 2015 with the US, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China. The deal saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium under the watch of UN inspectors in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Former US president Donald Trump then unilaterally pulled the US out of the accord in 2018, saying he would negotiate a stronger deal, but that did not happen.

Agencies - Xinhua