Iraqi: Drafting the Nuclear Agreement Will Not Be Completed Soon

Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of the Iranian negotiating team in the nuclear talks, says that drafting the final text of the nuclear agreement will take another week or two, and there are still significant disagreements between the parties. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Mr. Araghchi, who is in Vienna for the nuclear negotiations, stated on Thursday, May 24, that 'the pace of progress is slow due to the difficulty of the work' and that the drafting of this text 'will not be completed soon.' The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister further added, 'There are many disagreements, both on minor issues and on broader matters. I believe we must continue for another week or two to reach a unified text and a draft that minimizes the level of disagreements.' The latest round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the 1+5 group, consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany, began on Tuesday, May 22, at the level of deputy foreign ministers from Iran and these countries, as well as the Deputy High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union. ISNA reports that the negotiations on Thursday included discussions and consultations among the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the U.S. and the Deputy High Representative for EU Foreign Affairs, lasting three hours. According to this report, the Iranian deputy foreign ministers will also meet with their Russian, Chinese, and European counterparts on Friday and will ultimately participate in a public meeting with the 1+5 members. The drafting of the final agreement text between Iran and the world powers began on the second of Ordibehesht (April 22) in Vienna, and although the parties have acknowledged the existence of many disagreements, Mr. Araghchi states that the work is progressing steadily. Tehran and the 1+5 have announced their intention to reach a comprehensive agreement regarding Iran's nuclear activities by July 2.