US Secretary of State John Kerry says it is still too soon to tell if a comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran is within reach.
"We're just working and it's too early to make any judgments," Kerry told reporters in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on Monday following a weekend of intense nuclear talks with counterparts from Iran and five other nations, AFP reports.
The top US diplomat is awaiting the return of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who left Vienna for Tehran late on Sunday.
Zarif and Kerry sat down for the latest round of nuclear discussions in Vienna on Sunday. They had also met earlier on Saturday.
Before leaving Vienna, Zarif said an agreement was possible if all sides “move forward based on what we have already agreed without excessive demands."
Over the weekend, officials from both sides indicated that their self-imposed deadline of June 30 was not likely to be met. However, they said talks would only extend for a few days.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany are holding talks to finalize the text of a possible deal over Iran’s nuclear program by the end of June.
The two sides reached mutual understanding on the key parameters of the potential deal in the Swiss lakeside city of Lausanne on April 2.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he would arrive in Vienna on Tuesday, the same day his Iranian counterpart is expected to return.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has also indicated he would join the nuclear negotiations this week.
