Germany ˈCautiously Optimisticˈ On Final Iran Nuclear Deal By July

Berlin, April 5, IRNA -- A German foreign ministry spokesman here on Friday voiced ˈcautious optimismˈ that a final deal on Iranˈs nuclear program can be reached by July 20 coinciding with the end of the six-month deadline of the Geneva interim accord. Talking to the press in Berlin, Martin Schaefer said while there was still a tough way ahead for Iran and six western powers on reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement within the time frame, talks had been moving forward in a ˈconstructive and goodˈ manner, resulting in ˈcautious optimism.ˈ Iran and six world powers began an expert-level meeting about Tehranˈs nuclear program on Thursday, part of efforts to seal a deal by late July on how to resolve the decade-old dispute. The meeting in Vienna of nuclear and other experts from Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain was to prepare for a new round of higher-level negotiations next week, also slated to be held in the Austrian capital. The April 8-9 meeting of chief negotiators - among them European Union foreign policy chief Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif - will be the third round of talks at that level since February. The aim is to hammer out a long-term accord by July 20 that would curb some of Iranˈs nuclear activities in return for lifting western sanctions./end