DHAKA: Iran can resume 20 percent uranium enrichment in less than 24 hours, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said a day before the resumption of talks in Vienna on how to implement an interim nuclear deal aimed at temporarily freezing Iran’s nuclear programme.

Zarif told Iranian students on Wednesday that the agreement signed between the Islamic Republic and six world powers on November 24 in Geneva recognises Tehran’s nuclear programme, and assured them the programme will continue, The Jerusalem Post publishes this report on Thursday.

He also noted that ‘the structure of the sanctions and the antagonistic atmosphere created by the West against Iran is falling apart’, according to Fars.

Negotiations are set to resume in Vienna on Thursday between Iran and the P5+1 world powers on how to implement the Geneva deal.

Iranian officials paused the talks last week due to an increase in sanctions pressure from the United States.

BDST: 1633 HRS, DEC 19, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor