VIENNA, November 21 (Sputnik) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif will leave the Austrian capital Vienna for further consultations with senior Iranian officials in Tehran, a source in the Iranian delegation told RIA Novosti on Friday.
"Zarif is probably leaving this afternoon or evening to meet with other senior people in Tehran," the source said. "But he is definitely coming back," he added.
According to media reports, French and British foreign ministers will also leave Vienna tonight. So will the US Secretary of State John Kerry.
On Thursday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told journalists that the P5+1 delegations will have to advise the capitals on how to assess the progress made in the talks in order to determine further steps.
The final round of Tehran's nuclear talks with the group of six world powers continued into Friday, as the November 24 deadline for a permanent deal moves closer. On Thursday, Mohammad Zarif, John Kerry and EU envoy Catherine Ashton met on the sidelines of the nuclear talks to discuss the nuclear program.
An Iranian nuclear program has been a concern for many countries which prompted the UN Security Council, the United States, and the European Union to target it for sanctions over the past decade.
Tehran claims its nuclear development is aimed purely at civilian needs, such as meeting the country’s growing energy needs. However, the West suspects Iran of developing a nuclear weapon under the guise of a peaceful program.
