Nuclear negotiators of Iran and the P5+1 countries – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US, plus Germany – have wrapped up their second round of talks concerning Tehran's nuclear program. They agreed to resume their discussions next month.
Following five days of closed-door negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, which saw the sides make intensive efforts to narrow down their differences and ink a comprehensive deal, the talks ended Sunday, Press TV reported.
The talks, chaired by EU official Helga Schmid, are being held with the hope of achieving further progress towards a long-term comprehensive solution on the nuclear issue.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif held several bilateral meeting in Geneva and Paris over Tehran's nuclear program, followed by further U.S.-Iran negotiations led by acting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman and Iran deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqch
The Iranian deputy foreign minister described the Geneva discussions as "good" and "extensive".
"We reviewed all subjects on the table and we had very serious and business-like negotiations," he added.
The minister, however, said Tehran and its negotiating partners are still working "to bridge the gap between the two sides".
The latest round of talks included lengthy meetings between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his US counterpart John Kerry in Geneva and Paris.
This was the second round of discussions since Tehran and the P5+1 group failed to work out a permanent nuclear deal by last November's deadline. The sides decided to extend their talks for seven more months until July 1.
Tehran and the P5+6 now seek to reach a high-level political agreement by March 1 and then confirm the full technical details of the agreement by July 1.
The scale of Iran's uranium enrichment and the timetable for the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions are being viewed as major points in the ongoing negotiations.