Foreign ministers of the sextet of international mediators, with the exception of China's Wang Yi who will arrive early Monday morning, have gathered in the Austrian capital to nail down a comprehensive deal that would lift the sanctions against Iran in exchange of country proving the peaceful nature of its nuclear program before the November 24 deadline. However, numerous obstacles stand in the way, and differences remain, RIA Novosti reported.
"At the moment we're focused on the last push, a big push tomorrow morning to try and get this across the line," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters Sunday. "Of course if we're not able to do it, we'll then look at where we go from there."
According to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, after the last round of talks in Oman, held on November 10-11, the contested issues include Arak reactor, sanctions, uranium enrichment, transparency, and former military research.
Some progress has apparently been made over the course of the six days of talks in Vienna, as the talks entered a ministerial level. However, much have stayed behind the closed doors of the Palais Coburg where the talks and meetings are held.
At the moment, the pace of sanctions relief and uranium enrichment volume appear to be at the core. Iran seeks to operate as many centrifuges as possible, the West - to dismantle most of them. Iran wants UN and Western sanctions lifted all at once, the West - step by step to ensure Iranian compliance with the deal.
Iran nuclear talks enter most decisive 24 hours
24 hours until the deadline, Iran nuclear talks have entered the most decisive phase, with the P5+1 group still discussing the agreement on Tehran's nuclear program in Vienna.
