N-talks at 'difficult' stage as Iran insists on red lines

Nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers to tackle the obstacles in the way of reaching a final deal are at a difficult stage, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Marzieh Afkham said here on Wednesday.

"The more the talks continue, the more brackets are added and the more differences arise," Xinhua quoted Afkham as saying in a weekly press briefing.

"Presently, we are at a difficult stage of the talks as was predictable," she said, adding that the negotiators have to sit longer hours at the negotiating table as the self-imposed deadline of June 30 nears.

If an agreement is reached, it will open new chapters in the relations between Iran and other countries, since by the removal of sanctions, better political and economic interaction will be in the sight, she said.

The Islamic republic will enhance its status in the world and in the region by signing a nuclear deal, she added.

The Iranian spokesperson said the country's negotiators were committed to observe the red lines drawn by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for a nuclear deal.

On Tuesday, Khamenei said that Iran would not allow "unconventional inspections", "excessive pressures" or inspections into its military sites.

Under a nuclear deal, Iran will not accept long-term limitations of 10 years on its nuclear programme, which the other party is clear about it, he added.

Iran and the P5+1 group countries, namely the US, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany, agreed on a framework of understanding in early April and set June 30 as a deadline for reaching a final deal, after missing two previous deadlines last year.