DHAKA: Iran’s foreign minister said on Saturday that he believed it was unlikely a final-status agreement would be reached with the West over the Islamic Republic’s disputed nuclear program within the time frame that has been allotted in the negotiations.

‘The chances that we will come to final understandings within the four months remaining are low,’ foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is quoted as saying, reports The Jerusalem Post.

Zarif added that even if the parties come to a deal by the November deadline, they would still need more time to flesh out the fine print.

The foreign minister said that the talks could lead to ‘quick results’ if the P5+1 powers – the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany – display the necessary will.

He said that in recent months, the discussions have proceeded carefully, although there has been progress.

In July, Iran and the six powers agreed to extend the talks after both sides were unable to reach agreement.

The main dispute centered on the question of the extent to which Iran would be permitted to enrich uranium.

The powers demanded that the Islamic Republic reduce the number of centrifuges to a symbolic few, while the Iranians countered with a proposal to increase the number of centrifuges and to subject them under international inspection.

This past Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying that Washington has become increasingly hostile to Iran.

‘There’s no point in engaging in direct negotiations with Washington,’ he said.

BDST: 1936 HRS, AUG 16, 2014