Iran on Nuclear Talks: 'The Ball is on the Other Side'

The Western countries should choose between the reality and the illusion, a senior Iranian diplomat said looking with optimism at the nuclear energy talks.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Tehran is optimistic about the progress of talks with P5+1 international mediators on Iranian nuclear program and expects the West to assume a realistic approach to the proposed comprehensive nuclear agreement, a senior Iranian diplomat said Wednesday.

"The ball is now on the other side. The Western countries must take realistic decisions on this issue [preparation of nuclear deal]," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian told reporters following a meeting with Russian lawmakers in Moscow.

Abdollahian said the Iranian side had an optimistic outlook on the result and the progress of the talks.

"The decision is not that difficult. They must simply choose between the reality and the illusion," the diplomat said, adding that the date for the next round of nuclear talks at the ministerial level had not been determined yet.

The talks between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France and Germany, have been taking place for more than a year. The negotiating parties aim to guarantee a peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program.

Tehran and the international mediators are expected to reach a political framework agreement on the nuclear issue in March, and a long-term comprehensive deal by July.

On March 21, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the negotiators had resolved some major issues that blocked a deal on Iran's nuclear activities, with Tehran willing to continue the negotiations.

The next round of talks is set to kick off on March 26 in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland.