Berlin Terms Iran-E3 Plus 3 Talks ˈGood And Constructiveˈ

Berlin, June 24, IRNA -- A German foreign ministry spokeswoman here Monday labeled the latest round of talks between Iran and six world powers on Tehranˈs nuclear program ˈgood and constructive.ˈ Speaking at a routine weekly government press briefing, Sawsan Chebli stressed that last weekˈs negotiations in Vienna between diplomats from Iran and E 3 plus 3 (US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) took place in a ˈgood and constructive atmosphere.ˈ She acknowledged that all sides are under time pressure as the July 20 deadline looms for a final agreement, saying everyone was working very hard to reach a deal. Chebli admitted also that the differences still remained and had to be sorted out. She cited the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as saying that while the July 20 target date should not be questioned, the tough issues had still to be addressed and thatˈs why all parties were working intensely to achieve a negotiated solution in the Iranian nuclear stand-off. Senior envoys from Iran and six world powers said Friday they would step up the pace of their negotiations on ending the stalemate over Tehranˈs nuclear program, after key differences remained unsolved in last weekˈs negotiations. Both sides now have only less than a month left to strike an accord by their July 20th target date that would effectively downsize Iranˈs nuclear program and end economic sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic./end