Soltanieh: Negotiations Positive, Some Iran-IAEA Gaps Bridged

Vienna, Aug 25, IRNA – Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IAEA Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh said here Friday that Iran-Agency negotiations were positive and that some gaps between two sides were bridged. Speaking at the end of the nuclear negotiations in Austrian capital city, Vienna, Soltanieh added in an exclusive interview with an IRNA reporter that the talks were held at a technical level and progress was made with both sides managing to bridge some of the existing gaps. Soltanieh had also said before the Friday negotiations that Iran expects achieving progress in these negotiations, as both sides seem to be determined to bridge the existing lingering gaps. Yet, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Inspector Herman Nackaerts said after the meeting in Vienna, 'Discussions today were intensive, but important differences remain between Iran and the agency that prevented agreement on this structured approach paper.... At the moment we have no plans for another meeting,' he told reporters. Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali-Asghar Soltanieh, was more positive, saying that some progress had been made in the meeting and that more talks would take place. 'Issues related to the national security of a member state (of the IAEA) is something very delicate,' Soltanieh told reporters. 'I have to say that we are moving forward and this meeting in fact was an indication that we can work with the agency closely and we are going to continue this process. 'I wish that in the next round of the meetings and in the continuation of the process you will see that we are on the right track.' /end