VIENNA, November 19 (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — Iranian negotiators have held bilateral meetings with German and Russian delegations in Vienna, Austria, and are now expected to meet with the French negotiating team, the Iranian Nuclear Energy agency tweeted Wednesday.
#Iran-#Russia & Iran-#Germany bilats have just ended. Talks to begin w/ #France shortly. #IranTalksVienna
— Iran Nuclear Energy (@nuclearenergyir) 19 ноября 2014
Another bilateral meeting is expected to start at noon, with the Iranian team meeting US representatives.
#Iran-#US bilat slated for 1430 Vienna time. Separate bilats to be held later in the day w French, British delegations #IranTalksVienna
— Iran Nuclear Energy (@nuclearenergyir) 19 ноября 2014
At the same time, Michael Mann, spokesperson for the European Union's chief negotiator Catherine Ashton, has left Vienna, though he confirmed to Sputnik that Ashton is still in the Austrian capital.
Overnight, US State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki said Secretary of State John Kerry had postponed his trip to Vienna and would stay in London and then travel to Paris.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Sputnik on Tuesday that the arrival of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov depended on the progress made during the talks at the level of political directors, currently underway in Vienna.
A source in the Iranian delegation told RIA Novosti earlier today, that Iran is not planning to extend the deadline and is planning to reach an agreement by November 24.
The final round of Tehran's talks with the group of six world powers kicked off in Vienna on Tuesday.
The negotiations are aimed at reducing the scope of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. US State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke said last week that Washington would suspend the sanctions on Iran before terminating them if a nuclear agreement is reached.
The West and Israel have long been accusing Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program, while Tehran argues that its nuclear program is aimed at meeting the country's growing energy needs.
During talks in Geneva in November 2013, the P5+1 group, comprising Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Germany, agreed to reach a deal with Tehran guaranteeing the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program by July. The deadline for the agreement was later postponed to November 24.
