Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the probability of reaching a deal in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of international mediators is about 50 percent.


LAUSANNE (Sputnik) – The probability of reaching a deal in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of international mediators is around 50 percent, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said.

"We cannot say the exact percentage, but we are hopeful. Let's see," Araqchi told reporters in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Saturday, answering a question from a Sputnik correspondent.

Assessing the chance of signing a nuclear deal by the end of March, Iran's envoy said it is "more than 50 percent."

Araqchi added that the ministers who joined the Saturday talks on Iran in Lausanne are actively engaged in the process.

"We are in a situation that the political decisions are needed to be made by the ministers. I'm sure their presence will be helpful," the envoy said.

Wang Qun, Director-General of the Arms Control Department of China's Foreign Ministry and the country's chief negotiator at the Iran nuclear talks told RIA Novosti on Saturday that Russia and China were working on new proposals to resolve the remaining differences on the Iranian nuclear program. According to Wang Qun, the ministers will discuss the proposal on Sunday.Tehran and the P5+1 group, which includes Russia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have been holding talks aimed at reaching an agreement that will ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities since November, 2013.

The sides must reach a final agreement on the issue before the start of July, 2015. The political framework for the deal should be agreed upon by the end of March.

If an agreement is reached, the sanctions that have been imposed by the West against Iran over its nuclear activities will be lifted.

The most recent round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 started in Lausanne on Thursday and will last until Sunday, March 29.


By Sputnik News