Iran, P5+1 Can Still Finalize Nuclear Deal by June 30- US State Department

The US government continues to believe that finalizing a nuclear agreement with Iran by the June 30, 2015 deadline is feasible, despite reports that negotiations have stalled, US Department of State spokesperson Jeff Rathke told reporters on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Rathke explained US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman is in Vienna, Austria, along with other mediators trying to finalize a nuclear agreement with Iran by the end of the month.

“We remain of the view that June 30 is achievable… to reach a joint comprehensive plan of action by that time.”

In April 2015, Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, comprising of the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany, worked out a political framework on the Iranian nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne.

Under the deal, Tehran pledged to cut back uranium enrichment and decrease its number of centrifuges, in exchange for a gradual lifting of international sanctions.

However, Iran and the world powers still disagree on a number of key issues, such as the mechanism of re-imposing sanctions on Tehran in case the deal is violated.

The negotiators have yet to agree on how to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to Iran’s nuclear facilities, as well as a mechanism and time frame for lifting the sanctions.