In an interview with Iranian media, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani, spoke about the progress being made at the ongoing talks in Vienna.

Speaking with IRNA, Bagheri said that the two fundamental issues in the Vienna talks are “what issues should be negotiated and the negotiations over those issues,” meaning that the parties in the Vienna talks cannot yet agree on what topics are up for negotiations and what are not. Bagheri added that another point of conflict is the “scope and domain” of the talks, but he added that the negotiators have reduced the parameters. 

Bagheri said it is natural to have differences, but that it would be “very good progress” if negotiators could agree on the parameters. He said that even under the previous six rounds of talks (under the previous Iranian administration), there was not a full agreement on the scope.

Bagheri called media reports from European sources “unconstructive.” European warnings about a possible breakdown, Bagheri said, are “trying to create a negative atmosphere in order to make up for their shortcomings at the negotiation table.”