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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
A group of countries has been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program for months.
Apparently, the talks are now coming to an end.
It was a "matter of days," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
"We're very close, but there are still some unanswered questions," Borrell said, referring to a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal that would limit Tehran's nuclear program in return for lifting tough sanctions
One point of contention: the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is still on the US list of terrorist organizations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian confirmed in a TV interview that dealing with the Revolutionary Guards was "definitely part of our negotiations."
"We have exchanged messages with the Americans on this matter," he added.
According to a report by the Iranian news agency IRNA, EU envoy Enrique Mora is meeting with Iran's chief negotiator Ali Bagheri in Tehran on Sunday.
Mora said on the online service Twitter that he would work to close "the remaining gaps" between the positions of the various parties.
West "95 percent" agreed
Borrell declared that the West was "95 percent" in agreement with Tehran's demands.
"But the remaining five percent are critical," he stressed.
Should the agreement not come about, he would be “very disappointed”.
Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and China are involved in talks about reviving the nuclear deal with Iran.
The US participates indirectly.
The agreement is intended to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
In return, the sanctions imposed on Tehran are to be lifted.
Then US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in 2018, after which Tehran began violating its nuclear limits about a year later.
tfb/AFP/Reuters
