A general view of the latest round of talks over Irans nuclear energy program which kicked off in the Austrian capital city of Vienna on July 3, 2014[/caption]A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator says Iran and the P5+1 group have a difficult path to tread as the two sides try to reach a long-term deal on the Islamic Republics nuclear energy program.
"We are always optimistic..., but we have a difficult road to go," Irans Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said after a meeting with representatives of France, Britain and Germany at the UN headquarters in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on Thursday.
The Iranian official further said the discussions were useful but added that differences still remain.
"It was just some consultations and exchange of views trying to bridge the gaps between the two sides," he said. "We hope to make progress next week in New York."
The Thursday meeting preceded a new round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany, which is slated to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York on September 18.
Last November, the two sides signed an interim deal in Geneva, which took effect on January 20 and expired six months later. In July, Iran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach common ground on a number of key issues.
By Press TV
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