MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed that the number of centrifuges has increased from 200 at the outset of the crisis to 20,000 at a present day, as cited in an article published by the Financial Times.
"[M]y counterparts have rightfully opted for the negotiating table. But they still need to make the critical choice between an agreement and coercion," Zarif added.
The P5+1 group of international negotiators, comprising the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and Germany have been working on a final nuclear agreement with Tehran since April, when a preliminary deal was reached in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
Zarif said in his article that Iran is ready to conclude a final deal with the P5+1 as there are far more important issues to be addressed, such as the threat of the Islamic State (IS) militants in the region.
"Iran is ready to strike a fair and balanced deal and prepared to open new horizons to address the shared challenges of far greater magnitude," Zarif wrote, referring to the rise of extremism in the Middle East.
The West has been accusing Tehran of developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian program and has imposed multiple restrictions on Iran, some endorsed by the United Nations, and others unilateral.
Tehran wants all of the sanctions, including the UN ban on trade in conventional arms and ballistic missiles, to be lifted at once, while international negotiators say they must be scaled down gradually. The sides have also been discussing the particular rights of IAEA inspectors and their access to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The original deadline for a final agreement between Iran and the P5+1 was June 30, but it has been extended twice with the current deadline being Friday.
