Russian Negotiator Says Iran Nuclear Deal Imminent In Next Few Days

Russia’s chief negotiator in the Vienna nuclear talks told reporters that an agreement will be signed in the next few days in the presence of Iranian and US foreign ministers.

Iran International correspondent in Vienna reported that Mikhail Ulyanov said a definite day has not been decided yet, but it could be Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

In a tweet which is being interpreted as a sign of an imminent deal, French chief negotiator Philippe Errera on behalf of E3 negotiators, thanked their teams for their efforts in past 11 months.

Earlier on Thursday, Iran's lead nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani, who flew to Tehran last week for consultations about the final draft of the deal, met with the European Union's Enrique Mora, who coordinates the talks in Vienna.

It has been weeks that pundits and diplomats are talking about the end of the negotiations, but all sides keep expressing uncertainties about the conclusion of the talks. This time however it seems different as reports about the endgame are pouring in from both opponents and proponents of the agreement.

Ali Akbar Salehi, a former foreign minister and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told IRIB on Thursday that “It seems that the talks are reaching a conclusion, and I am very hopeful regarding it”.

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi will travel to Tehran on Saturday to discuss unresolved safeguards issues as nuclear talks reach an endgame.