Senior Iranian and US officials began direct talks in Geneva on Monday, urgently trying to find common ground over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme as a July deadline for a lasting deal looms.
For the Islamic republic, the goal is to make a leap towards ending the international sanctions that have battered its economy.
Washington and its allies are seeking solid commitments that will ensure Iran’s stated desire for a peaceful atomic power programme is not a covert attempt to build a nuclear bomb.
The two-day Geneva meeting began this afternoon, Iranian media reported. US officials said there were no plans to brief reporters, who were left guessing about the venue.
Time is running out for the negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group. A deadline of July 20 has been set to turn a temporary deal struck in November into a permanent agreement.
Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s deputy Foreign Minister and nuclear pointman, said on Monday he remained optimistic about meeting the deadline.
"If this does not happen, we will have to resort to extending the Geneva agreement for another six months so the negotiations can continue," Iran’s IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.
Both sides had already raised the prospect of an extension.