Mehr News correspondent group in Vienna report said that both ministers sat in a bilateral meeting in 10 AM local time. The three-day extension to talks which had been agreed Wednesday will end today, however, the conditions in place would rule that talks continue after today, possibly to Saturday and Sunday.
Iranian negotiators believe that western excessive demands had been the major contributing factor to a deadlock now hitting the talks after two weeks in Vienna, which now have brought to the surface new cruxes, as Zarif had told Mehr News earlier in early today.
Along with Zarif-Kerry talks, deputy-level expert meetings are also held with Hamid Baeedinejad of Iran leading its entourage. In still related story, Mr. Zarif came to see the reporters from Palais Coburg balcony along with Abbas Araghchi, his aid, and president’s representative to negotiations, Mr. Hossein Fereidoun. Zarif told reporters that talks had had some progress, and that they would remain in Vienna till the weekend.
Asked by reporters whether he predicted a definite outcome from the talks by upcoming Monday, Zarif conditioned a deal to a political will. He described session with Mr. Kerry as ‘constructive,’ and expressed his hopes to a deal.
At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also came to balcony but did not talk to reporters. Still in a related story, US Secretary of Energy Mr. Ernest Moniz left the negotiation venue to participate in a Portuguese ceremony which is to award him with the country’s Order of Honor (Moniz is originally from Portugal). It is unknown whether he would return back to negotiations. Moniz and Iran’s head of AEOI Mr. Ali Akbar Salehi sat in two sessions of technical discussions lasting to 1 AM local time. Mr. Salehi had told reporters earlier on Thursday that the day would be the last day for technical issues.