VIENNA, November 21 (Sputnik) — US Secretary of State John Kerry is still in Vienna, holding meetings with chief EU negotiator Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif, a source in the American delegation told journalists.
"Secretary Kerry will be meeting with Baroness Ashton and Foreign Minister Zarif," the source said.
It was previously confirmed that Kerry would leave the Austrian capital after trilateral talks with his French and British counterparts.
At the same time, there have been conflicting reports about the departure of Mohammad Zarif for consultations with senior officials in Tehran. The plans have been then changed and a source in the Iranian delegation confirmed to Sputnik that Zarif would stay in Vienna.
German delegation declined to comment on the arrival of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, saying they "do not want to add more rumors".
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 the Austrian capital of Vienna on Tuesday.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that the atmosphere at the talks was tense and that the participating delegations might need to consult with their capitals to assess the situation. However, he expressed hope that the deal is still possible to reach by the November 24 deadline.
Iran's nuclear ambitions have 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.
