MOSCOW (Sputnik) World powers negotiating withTehran fora peaceful nuclear program may reach a deal byearly next week, the New York Times reported Thursday, citing an anonymous senior US State Department official.
The West seeks assurance that Iran is not developing weapons underthe guise oftheir civilian nuclear energy program. The agreement would ease international economic sanctions againstIran inexchange forrestrictions onTehran's nuclear activities and increased monitoring ofits facilities.
The negotiators have decided toagree ona political framework ofthe deal bythe end ofMarch.
"We very much believe we can get this done by [March] 31. We see a path todo that, the official said asquoted bythe newspaper.
However, he stressed that negotiations could stalled inlight ofa number ofunsettled issues.
On Wednesday a senior Iranian diplomat said that Tehran was optimistic aboutthe progress oftalks and expected the West toassume a realistic approach tothe proposed comprehensive nuclear agreement.
Last week, US President Barack Obama said that Washington is waiting formore concessions onthe part ofTehran inthe Iranian nuclear program dispute, stressing that there was a possibility that a final deal withthe P5+1 group could be reached soon.
The next meeting betweendiplomats fromTehran and the P5+1 group Britain, France, China, Russia, the United States and Germany is set tokick offThursday inthe city ofLausanne, Switzerland.
By Sputnik News
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