Iran and world powers have decided to extend negotiations to a nuclear deal to four months after failing to find a final solution in dismantling Tehran's nuclear infrastructure, a senior diplomat at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) pointed out Saturday.
The official, who have requested anonymity, told KUNA that despite extensive talks in the past six months, negotiators reached a deadlock and couldn't meet the July 20 deadline even though there was a participation from the P5+1 group's foreign ministers and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Hence, negotiations will continue until November 24. This extended period does not mean finalizing a deal between Iran and P5+1 group but rather than trying to bridge major differences in negotiations.
The major reason why these talks reached to a standstill is because Iran, which sees this extension as a point in its favor, does not want to give up its rights to own nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Meanwhile, World powers, especially the US, would want to seek to limit the size of Iran's nuclear fuel production which uses centrifuge machines. They are of concern because the same process can also be used to produce fuel for a bomb that could be fitted to Iran's ballistic missiles.
As part of the deal, the US said it would unblock some USD 2.8 billion in frozen funds, in return for Iran converting a quarter of its 20 per cent enriched uranium stocks - which can be used to make a bomb - into fuel.
Iran, on the other hand, seeks the removal of international sanctions meant to force it to comply with the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. These sanctions have negativity affected its economy.
Negotiators are going to head home and take a break from a long six rounds of unsuccessful talks until they are resumed again, in either Vienna or in a different capital.