TEHRAN -- Iran and the world powers have made progress in nuclear talks and the agreement to solve Iran's nuclear issue is possible by July 7, Iran's senior nuclear negotiator said on Sunday.
"The differences have been narrowed down, although they are not over," Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying by Iranian Students' News Agency.
"The atmosphere of the talks is serious and both sides are determined" to conclude the talks, since elongation of the talks is not in the interest of any side, he said.
When the agreement is finalized, all the western financial and economic sanctions against Iran will be lifted and Iran's measure to implement its commitments will start, he noted.
The UN Security Council will endorse the possible agreement, he added.
In a video message released on Friday, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to the negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany, saying the two sides "have never been this close to a lasting outcome."
"But there is no guarantee. Getting to yes requires the courage to compromise, the self-confidence to be flexible, the maturity to be reasonable, the wisdom to set aside illusions and the audacity to break old habits," Zarif said.
The West still needs to make a critical and historic choice: agreement or coercion, he added.
Iran and the P5+1 group are after a long-term solution to the disputed Iranian nuclear issue, but they missed the previously set self-imposed June 30 deadline for a comprehensive deal.
Both sides agreed to extend the deadline to July 7.
