German FM Hopes For Swift Iran Nuclear Deal Amid Tough Negotiations

Berlin, June 21, IRNA -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed hope that an agreement on Iranˈs nuclear program could still be reached by July 20 when the interim deal ends, German Press Agency dpa reported in Vienna on Thursday. The July 20 dateline should not be questioned despite the current tough negotiation phase, Germanyˈs top diplomat said. ˈThe hardest nuts will remain to be cracked until the end,ˈ he added. Steinmeier stressed ˈit would be good if at least one of the many conflicts that play a role in this region could be solved,ˈ pointing to the nuclear stand-off with Tehran as well as the crisis hotspots in Iraq and Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and senior envoys from Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany are in the process of hammering out a deal to curb Tehranˈs nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions.