Iran's president said Saturday that a final nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers was "within reach," provided that no new issues arose ahead of the June 30 deadline.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani said that the long-running talks were making progress but that some issues still remained.
"Our negotiators are seriously moving on this path ... and if the other side also observes this framework and respects the rights of the Iranian nation and our national interests, and does not seek excessive demands, I think a deal is within reach," the Iranian president said.
Referring to a key issue that the United States and its European allies have emphasized — inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities — Rouhani said Iran would not allow inspections that would jeopardize its state secrets.
"Iran will absolutely not allow its state secrets to fall into the hands of foreigners," he said, under terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its Additional Protocol or any other treaty. "This is definite," he added, "and we will never let it happen."
The world powers who have been seeking an agreement about Iran's nuclear development program are the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. In exchange for limiting its future nuclear development, Iran would expect the lifting of international sanctions that have curtailed its economy.
American and French diplomats have called for Iran to accept stringent measures, including inspection of its military facilities as well as nuclear inspections that could be set in motion with as little as two hours' notice.
