The atmosphere of negotiations is completely serious and transparent, and the parties (to the talks) are interested in reaching an agreement (on Iran’s nuclear energy program)," Araqchi said on Wednesday.
Araqchi made the remarks after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry met in the Swiss city of Geneva to discuss the progress in Iran's nuclear talks.
The meeting in Geneva came before the new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) due to be held on January 18.
Araqchi said that the other side is, like Iran, serious in the negotiations, and it is clear that the two sides are determined to clinch a deal.
“All efforts are underway,” the senior Iranian negotiator said, adding, “It is, however, too early to judge the outcome of the talks.”
“We hope to reach a comprehensive agreement in the end,” he noted.
The 10th round of negotiations between Iran and the six world powers was held in Vienna from November 18 to 24, where the seven nations decided to extend the talks until July after they failed to strike an agreement.
The next round of the nuclear talks between the two sides will be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 18.
Iran's nuclear chief announced on Friday that Tehran had done its utmost efforts to bring maximum transparency to its nuclear program and remove the alleged concerns of the Western states, stressing that the world powers had been left with no more excuse to avoid a final agreement with Iran.
