MOSCOW, November 11 (Sputnik) – Agreements on some of the issues, concerning Iran's nuclear program, are likely to be reached in the near future, Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah has said.
"Today we were able to agree on the big issues and we expect to get a solution to some of the pending issues. They are still talking. They are still talking seriously on a number of issues and I hope they will reach an agreement," bin Alawi said Monday, as quoted by the ISNA news agency.
Bin Alawi was speaking shortly after the talks on Iran's nuclear program wound down in Oman.
US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said Monday that the talks, which involved US Secretary of State John Kerry, EU envoy Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, were "tough, direct and serious".
The meeting between the three foreign policy chiefs wrapped up the second day of talks in the run-up to broader negotiations between Iran, Ashton and the P5+1 group, which includes Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Germany.
The talks between Iran and the group of six powers will continue on Tuesday in the city of Muscat, Oman.
The West has accused Iran of attempting to build nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program, while Tehran argues that its nuclear ambition is to meet the country's growing energy needs and achieve other peaceful goals.
Last January the United States agreed to provide limited sanctions relief if Iran froze its nuclear program. Since then, Iran has halted production and opened the door to international inspectors.
In November 2013, during talks held in Geneva, the P5+1 group agreed to reach a deal with the Tehran delegation guaranteeing the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program by July 2014. The deadline was later extended to November 24, 2014.
