Iranian and European Union officials have reached a "preliminary agreement" on easing alarm over Tehran's nuclear program following crucial negotiations in the French capital, a senior Iranian official said.
"We reached a preliminary agreement at the experts level, which means a framework that contains the main viewpoints of both sides," a top Iranian negotiator, Hossein Moussavian, told state television by phone from Paris, cited by AFP.
"This agreement is to be taken to the capitals of the four countries, and in the next days, if the capitals approve it, it will be announced officially," he added, asserting that he was "not pessimistic".
"Should the four countries be able to agree on a package in a not so distant future, there would be a crucial transformation in relations between Iran and the EU and the whole international community."
His announcement followed two days of talks between Iran and Britain, France and Germany on getting the Islamic Republic to suspend uranium enrichment in order to avoid being hauled before the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
Moussavian said the preliminary agreement included "a collection of political, economic, security, technological and trust-building cooperation regarding the future of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities".
However, he refused to give any specific details pending its approval by "the most senior officials" in the Islamic republic as well as in the capitals of the EU's so-called "big three".
"After the four capitals have agreed, we will begin discussions on implementing this agreement. The next round of discussions will not be so challenging, because the principles will have been set," Moussavian said, adding that he hoped the deal could get the green light as early as "next week".
"I must emphasise that all this is pending the agreement of the four capitals. If it is not approved, we will have to say these discussions failed. But I am not pessimistic," he told state television. (Albawaba.com)
