U.S., Iran report progress in nuke talks, say much remains to be done

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States made some progress in talks with Iran on its nuclear program and managed to "sharpen up some of the tough issues", a senior U.S. official said on Monday, Feb 23 but both sides said much remained to be done, according to Reuters.

Negotiators from Iran and six major powers agreed to resume talks next Monday at a venue to be decided, the official said, speaking after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held two-day talks in Geneva.

Zarif told Iran's Fars news agency: "We had serious talks with the P5+1 representatives and especially with the Americans in the past three days ... But still there is a long way to reach a final agreement."

As Kerry's plane touched down in Washington later on Monday, a senior State Department official said Kerry and Zarif would meet again next week and details were being worked out.

The P5+1 group -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- are seeking to negotiate an agreement with Tehran to address concerns that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons technology, something it denies.

"These were very serious, useful and constructive discussions. We have made some progress but we still have a long way to go. We did very much sharpen up some of the tough issues so we can work to resolution," the senior U.S. administration official told reporters.

Negotiators hope to meet a self-imposed March 31 deadline for an initial political deal, but the U.S. official said that would not "make us rush to an agreement that does not fulfill the objectives that the president has given to us."

The aim of ensuring Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon "has to be met and that is not about the deadline, it is about the purpose", the official said.

Iran, which denies having any nuclear weapons program, hopes a deal will bring relief from international sanctions.