Nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group continued Tuesday in Vienna aiming at finding a deal regarding Iran's nuclear program.
Diplomatic sources told the press that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has been in Vienna since Wednesday and will be meeting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton soon. Zarif will also be holding a meeting at the level of experts with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Deputy Chief of EU Foreign Policy Helga Schmidt.
Statements to the press have been scarce which indicates that the talks were making little headway. There is still a disagreement on the constraints Iran is ready to accept in exchange for a full end to the sanctions stifling its economy.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in televised speech that the United States' goal at the nuclear talks is to convince Iran to limit its uranium enrichment capacity to 10,000 Separative Work Units (SWUs) while Tehran needs at least 190,000 SWUs.
He added that Iran will never shut down its Fordo uranium enrichment plant in Qom city even though it raises fears in the West.
Fordo plant is an underground enrichment plant constructed on a former Revolutionary Guards' base that stirred controversy when its existence was announced by the Iranians in 2009.
"They say it should be shut down because it is not accessible and cannot be damaged," Kahmenei said. "We are sure our negotiating team won't agree that the rights of the country and the nation's dignity be encroached," he said.
Aston and Zarif have been holding meetings as July 20 deadline to reach an agreement is approaching.
As of yet, four meetings were held between the two officials to finalize the agreement and additional meeting was held with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns.