TEHRAN (FNA)- An American journalist said the US and its European allies ought to seize the opportunity in nuclear talks with Iran to strike a deal, saying that "sanctions will never bring this proud nation to its knees".

New York Times journalist and writer Roger Cohen in an article published on Tuesday wrote,"� sanctions will never bring this proud nation to its knees. It would rather starve than cave."


"Do the Iran deal. Defeat the barbaric marauders of ISIL (Takfiri group). In the fragmenting mayhem of the Middle East, these must be the American and western priorities," he added.


He said, "American or Israeli bombs on Persia (or both) would have all sorts of ghastly consequences, but the fundamental argument against such folly is that they would cause no more than a hiccup in Iran�s nuclear program before spurring it to renewed and unmonitored intensity.�


Iran and Group 5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) started their new round of talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday to narrow their differences over Tehran's nuclear energy program ahead of a July 1 deadline.


On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) have made progress in achieving solutions, but said the two sides still have to work on several important issues.


"We have made progress in reaching acceptable solutions, but we still have to work on some important issues; the key to striking an agreement lies in this strategic choice that the other side should make: pressure and sanctions or interaction and agreement by the other side," Zarif wrote on his facebook page.


He noted that both sides have been involved in difficult and intensive nuclear negotiations in the past few days and the arrival of G5+1 foreign ministers has made the situation more complicated.


Zarif described his meetings with his German and French counterparts as serious, but in the meantime positive.


"I have a very intensive program these days and in addition to negotiations, I have given a considerable amount of time to follow-up and consultations about regional problems caused by dangerous and hasty measures of the supporters of extremist and Takfiri groups which threaten our region and world; I hope we could stop the dangerous trend of war and division through consultations and cooperation with neighbors as well as realism and foresight," he added.


On Saturday, Zarif called on the G5+1 to show more flexibility in the talks with Iran, and said Iran is ready for striking a "good" final deal with the world powers.


"In negotiations, both sides must show flexibility. We are ready to make a good deal for all. We wait for our counterparts' readiness," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.


By Fars News Agency