Tehran, YJC. Iran and US foreign policy chiefs in their direct meeting in Vienna on Sunday night explored avenues for resolving different nuclear issues with the deadline for a final deal ends on Monday, an official close to the Iranian team of negotiators said.
"In the meeting between Dr. Zarif and John Kerry, various nuclear subjects and related solutions were discussed,” the official said on Sunday night.
The comments came following Zarif and Kerry’s conclusion of their first direct talks in the Austrian capital.
According to the official, the two-sided meetings also saw the ministers discussing "diverse scenarios”, one of which was "how to continue the negotiations.”
Earlier than that, Western diplomats had raised the idea of extending a November 24 deadline, which had been set by Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) for securing a comprehensive nuclear deal.
"Our focus will remain on taking steps forward to reach an agreement, but it is only natural that just over 24 hours from the deadline, we are discussing a range of options both internally and with our P5+1 partners," a senior official of the US State Department had stated on condition of anonymity, adding, "An extension is one of those options."
After November 18, senior diplomats from Iran and the sextet launched a new round of talks in Vienna to draft a lasting accord, meant to end years of Western standoff over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
The talks are expected to continue up to November 24.