The negotiations on the Iran's nuclear issue has been terminated without the much expected comprehensive final agreement, but significant progress has been achieved.VIENNA, November 25 (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova Talks overthe Iranian nuclear program have come toa close inVienna withoutreaching the much anticipated comprehensive final deal.
"Unfortunately we have not reached asmuch aswe and I wanted. We have made steps, there are new ideas onthe table," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Monday followingthe P5+1 meeting withIran.
His French counterpart Laurent Fabius reiterated that the new proposals will require careful inspection and negotiators "need more time toexamine" them.
The sextet ofinternational mediators and Iran agreed toextend the Geneva agreement untilthe end ofJune, and will seek toreach a draft deal byMarch 1.
Significant progress
Despite the failure tostrike a comprehensive agreement, the sides made significant progress duringthe nuclear talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.
"Talks onIran have been conducted forquite a while, butthey received a powerful impetus last year, when a joint action plan was agreed inGeneva. This plan has been strictly observed this year," Lavrov said.
"This allowed us tomake significant progress inapproaching the final agreement. It is yet tobe reached, butthe progress is significant," the Russian foreign minister told reporters.
Last week, when this roundof talks started inthe Austrian capital, the arrival ofministers depended onthe progress achieved bythe negotiating teams. Initially, the contentious issues included the Arak reactor, sanctions and uranium enrichment.
The Ministers arrival inVienna signified that progress was being made. However, much has remained behindthe closed doors ofthe Palais Coburg where the talks and meetings were held.
High stakes
November 24 is a benchmark date forIran, asalthough a final deal was not struck, it is the closest the sides have come tofinding an agreement aftera 12-year standoff.
What matters forIran is that the status quo has been preserved and no sanctions were imposed or re-imposed onTehran. Now the goal is torestore Iran's international status.
"The price forIran is huge: access toa very large amount offrozen assets, the ability totrade freely [] and the ability toreset relationships withthe international community," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond noted.
Iran is currently subject toa number ofsanctions implemented bythe UN Security Council, aswell aseconomic sanctions bythe European Union, the United States, and other countries. But once reached, the deal would see sanctions lifted and assets unfrozen.
Further talks
Further talks promise tobe tough, asthe US Secretary ofState noted. Speaking afterthe talks ended onMonday, he highlighted that a lot had been achieved overthe last year ofnegotiations and that the "world is a safer place now that it was a year ago," asIran has significantly rolled back its nuclear program.
"These talks are not going toget easier just because we extend them. They're tough. They've been tough. And they're going tostay tough," John Kerry said.
The talks are expected toresume shortly withexperts and negotiating teams atthe helm, according toofficials.
But the world remains hopeful that a comprehensive deal will be reached asthe talks proceed.
Last year, the negotiating countries agreed tostrike a long-term deal withTehran byJuly 2014 that would guarantee the peaceful nature ofthe Iranian nuclear program, however the deadline was later extended toNovember 24.
By Sputnik News
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