VIENNA, November 20 (Sputnik) — Russian and Iranian delegations are holding bilateral talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in Vienna, a source close to the Iranian delegation told RIA Novosti.
“Russia and Iran are set to carry out a bilateral meeting. Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran [Abbas] Araghchi and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will meet at 10:00 a.m. [09:00 GMT],” the source said.
Earlier, a source told RIA Novosti that Iran intends to reach an deal by the deadline agreed and does not wish to prolong negotiations on its nuclear program.
The final round of Tehran's talks with the P5+1 group, which comprises Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Germany, began in Vienna on Tuesday.
Iran's nuclear program has been a matter of concern for many countries. The West has accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program — claims Tehran has denied. Iran is currently subject to a number of sanctions passed by the UN Security Council, as well as economic sanctions by the European Union, the United States, and a number of other countries.
During talks in Geneva in November 2013, the P5+1 group agreed to reach a long-term comprehensive agreement with Tehran by July, guaranteeing the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program. The deadline for the deal was later extended to November 24.
