Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks today upon arriving in the Austrian capital Vienna for the final stages of nuclear negotiations with the 5+1 group of countries.
Zarif, who is accompanied by head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi and special assistant to Iran's president Hossein Fereydoun, told reporters that the nuclear talks are now at a “critical stage” and Salehi’s presence during the talks will be “highly beneficial.”
“Salehi’s presence despite his health problem shows Iran’s seriousness in the negotiations,” Zarif said.
The Iranian senior diplomat further stressed that the sides are “definitely making progress.”
Zarif who was in Vienna during the last weekend, departed the city for Tehran late on Sunday due to his agenda to hold consultations with other Iranian officials concerning the course of nuclear negotiations.
Zarif has returned to Vienna today and is scheduled to hold talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry at 11 AM local time (1:30 PM Tehran time.)
He will also meet Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at 14:00 local time (4:30 PM Tehran time.)
While both sides insist there can be no lengthy extension of the negotiations after the June 30 deadline, they have agreed to take a few extra days if needed in order to reach a final nuclear agreement that would be considered as a ‘good deal’ to both sides.