Lifting of Arms Embargo Remains Key Point in Iran Nuclear Talks – Moscow

The P5+1 group of international negotiators has so far been unable to agree on the issue of lifting the arms embargo against Iran, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday.

VIENNA (Sputnik) — There is no clear understanding with regard to a detailed approach toward ensuring transparency when it comes to Iranian military matters, Ryabkov said.

"This is one of the main stumbling points within the P5+1. We have not reached understanding on this issue," Ryabkov told reporters.

Lifting of an arms embargo has been one of the stumbling blocks in talks between Iran and the P5+1 group. The UN Security Council issued a resolution in March 2007 imposing an arms embargo on Tehran amid accusations that the country was trying to create nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program.

Earlier in the day, the P5+1 international mediators and Iran held negotiations on the level of political directors, as well as several bilateral meetings, in the Austrian capital, seeking to reach a compromise on all the technical details of the Iranian nuclear deal before the June 30 deadline.

According to Ryabkov, the P5+1 group and Tehran will resume consultations on the comprehensive nuclear agreement at the level of political directors in Vienna on June 24-25, while a date for the ministerial meeting is yet to be confirmed.