Zarif to Travel to Vienna for Nuclear Talks on Friday

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, will travel to Vienna, the capital of Austria, on Friday, July 5, to conduct final consultations and negotiations with officials from the P5+1 countries five days before the deadline for nuclear talks. ISNA news agency reported that Mr. Zarif is going to Vienna 'at the head of a delegation.' Last week, the Iranian Foreign Minister met collectively and separately with his European counterparts and Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In recent weeks, negotiating teams from Iran and global powers have been drafting the text of the final agreement in Vienna. With five days remaining until the nuclear negotiations deadline, although the parties emphasize the necessity of adhering to the set timeline, they do not rule out the possibility of a short extension if necessary. As the final round of these talks approaches, the remarks of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, regarding Iran's red lines in the final agreement have influenced the negotiation atmosphere. Mr. Khamenei has emphasized that he will not allow unusual inspections, including of Iran's military facilities, and has also stated that the lifting of international sanctions against Iran should not only not be contingent on the International Atomic Energy Agency's confirmation of the Islamic Republic's actions but that all UN Security Council sanctions, as well as those from the US government and Congress, should be lifted at the moment of signing the potential final agreement. However, John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, stated that these remarks from the leader of the Islamic Republic are for 'domestic use' and the United States is 'not influenced' by them. Mr. Kerry emphasized that Iran must adhere to the 'commitments' of the Lausanne understanding, as otherwise 'no agreement will take place.'