Deputy FM: Conditions Will Change if N. Talks Fail

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi underlined that the conditions will change if Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) don’t reach a final deal by the November 24 deadline.

"As you know we still have two months left to November 24 and there isn’t yet any plan for failure in the attainment of an agreement," Araqchi said in an interview with Iran's state-run TV on Saturday.

"If no agreement is reached, the conditions will naturally change and that's the time for taking decisions about how to continue the trend," he added.

Araqchi said that the two sides have not yet reached an understanding on key issues.

The 7th round of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 started in New York last Friday.

The two sides held six rounds of negotiations in Vienna to reach a comprehensive deal after they inked an interim agreement in Geneva on November 24.

The Geneva agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20. In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach an agreement on a number of key issues.

Araqchi underlined on Friday that Tehran would never accept to make a deal through crossing or ignoring its redlines in the talks with the Group 5+1.

He underscored that Iran was ready to accept solutions that would allay concerns over the country’s nuclear energy program provided that they take into consideration the Islamic Republic’s rights and redlines.

Araqchi, who is also the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said the Iranian negotiating team would continue to insist on Iran’s rights and will not overstep the country’s "redlines" in the talks.

Acknowledging that the two sides were still divided over “key issues”, the Iranian negotiator said, “We will by no means leave the negotiating table, but will not retreat an iota from Iran’s rights either.”

“The nuclear negotiations have reached a breathtaking point and both sides have entered into many details,” Araqchi pointed out.