Iran nuclear deal ‘could be agreed within 48 hours’

Agreement on the international deal on Iran’s nuclear programme could be reached within 48 hours, a senior participant in talks has said.

The revival of the deal first struck in 2005 would pave the way for the end of sanctions on Iran, allowing it to step up oil exports to Western countries seeking to halt their reliance on Russia for energy supplies.

Coming just days after the return of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to the UK after six years of wrongful detention, an agreement would mark a further step in the normalisation of Tehran’s relations with the international community.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney, who acts as United Nations Security Council facilitator at the talks in Vienna, said “the signals are good” for agreement over the weekend.

And he said there was “no question” that agreement would lead to renewed oil exports from Iran, reducing upward pressure on energy prices in the West.

Mr Coveney told Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are getting much closer to signing a deal.

“In fact, some would say that there’s prospects potentially for a deal this weekend.

“Iran has a national holiday that starts on Monday that lasts nearly two weeks and so it may well be the case that the political leaders want to get this issue done in the next 48 hours or so, and that’s certainly our hope.”