DHAKA: Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has insisted that reaching a final nuclear deal with world powers is still within reach.

His comments came after Iran and six world powers - Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany - ended a fourth round of nuclear talks in Vienna with little progress to report.

The West accuses Iran of trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Iran says its nuclear energy programme is for entirely peaceful purposes.

‘Agreement is possible. But illusions need to go. Opportunity shouldn't be missed again,’ Zarif said on Twitter, reports the BBC.

On 20 July, an interim deal under which Iran curb uranium enrichment in return for the lifting of some Western sanctions is due to expire.

The six powers, known as the P5+1, want Iran to scale back its sensitive nuclear activities permanently to ensure that it cannot assemble a nuclear weapon.

Tehran is seeking the lifting of all UN and Western sanctions, which are crippling its economy.

The talks in Vienna broke up on Friday with downbeat statements from both sides.

BDST: 1958 HRS, MAY 18, 2014