Zarif Warns Powers to Avoid Excessive Demands Prior to New Round of Talks

"This round of negotiations will be the last stage of talks by July 20 (the deadline envisaged in the interim Geneva agreement) and we will strive to reach an agreement at this stage," Zarif said upon arrival at Vienna airport on Wednesday morning.

He said that in this round of talks the representatives of Iran and the world powers should confer on concepts again and then start drafting of the final deal.

Noting that he will have a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Vienna on Wednesday afternoon, the Iranian top diplomat said, "My colleagues will also take part in bilateral and multilateral meetings and we will continue discussions until the time for official meetings arrives."

Asked about his team's reaction if the world powers repeat their excessive demands in the talks, he said, "Naturally, if we are faced with excessive demands, this will be an obstacle to the progress in the negotiations and we won't accept them."

His remarks came as a new round of talks between Tehran and the G5+1 due to start in Vienna on Wednesday.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said the country's negotiators will try to find a fair and logical solution to Iran's nuclear standoff with the West in their upcoming meetings with the G5+1 in Vienna.

"We will make efforts to reach a fair and logical solution and go through the negotiations with power, honor and victory by restoring the Iranian people's rights as our basic priority," Araqchi said in an interview with the state-run TV.

Referring to the upcoming talks between Iran and the G5+1 due to be held in Vienna from July 2 to 20, he said the official meetings will be held at the UN headquarters and the unofficial meetings will be held at a hotel.

Araqchi also said that whenever the Iranian negotiating team deems necessary, it will hold bilateral or trilateral meetings with the 6 members of the G5+1.

Araqchi also told FNA on Sunday that drafting a final agreement between the two sides will be carried out under the supervision and presidency of Zarif and Ashton.

Iran and the Group 5+1 sealed an interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013 to pave the way for a full resolution of their decade-old dispute over the former’s nuclear standoff with the West. The deal came into force on January 20.

Under the Geneva deal, dubbed the Joint Plan of Action, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period.

Foreign Minister Zarif told reporters after the latest round of talks with the six world powers held in Vienna on June 16-20 that although the seven nations have started compiling the draft deal, the harsh stance taken by the western powers, which is reflected in their excessive and maximum demands shows that they are not fully ready to enter serious negotiations to attain a final solution to the decade-old standoff.

He stressed that Iran would not give up its rights, and would continue resistance until restoring all its nuclear rights.