Italy hopes for Iran nuclear deal within deadline

The incoming EU foreign policy chief has expressed hope that Iran and the P5+ 1 can reach a final agreement on Tehran’s nuclear energy program before a November 24 deadline.

Addressing a session of the European Parliament in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on Monday,  Federica Mogherini who is also Italian Foreign Minister  warned that it would be “very difficult” to reach a final accord on Iran’s nuclear issue after the deadline.

Iran and the six powers – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – are in talks to work out a final agreement aimed at ending the longstanding dispute over Tehran’s civilian nuclear energy program.

Last November, the two sides signed an interim nuclear accord, which took effect on January 20 and expired six months later. However, they agreed to extend their talks until November 24, as they remained divided on a number of key issues.

Elsewhere in her remarks, the European Union’s incoming foreign policy chief said Iran could play a “constructive” role in the settlement of the crises in the region.

“That’s why we need to engage Iran and have it become part of the solution of [the] problems in the region,” she said.

Mogherini will replace Catherine Ashton as EU foreign policy chief in November.