ANKARA
The EU has extended the suspension of sanctions imposed on Iran until July 13, The Council of Europe announced Friday, indicating a new deadline in the ongoing nuclear talks.
"The council has prolonged until July 13, 2015 the suspension of EU restrictive measures agreed in the Joint Plan of Action with Iran dated November 24, 2013," the council said in an official statement Friday.
According to the statement, the reason for the extension was "to allow more time for the ongoing negotiations to reach a long term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue."
On June 30, the council had prolonged the suspension of measures with a similar statement until July 7, which became the new deadline for the nuclear talks. However, EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, announced Tuesday that the sides would continue the talks beyond the July 7 deadline.
The talks have now gone 10 days past the one-week extension of the initial June 30 deadline.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Thursday that the negotiators "will not rush and we will not be rushed" in the nuclear talks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Thursday in a post on Twitter: “We're working hard, but not rushed, to get the job done. Mark my words; you can't change horses in the middle of a stream."
Zarif told Friday he "doubts" that a final deal is going to be reached before the weekend but outstanding issues could be settled by Monday.
