Senior officials from six world powers and Iran are holding a second day of nuclear talks in Vienna on February 19.

The two sides described talks on February 18 as “substantive.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif — who is leading his country’s delegation at the talks in Austria — said he’s hopeful Iran and world powers can finalize a nuclear deal by July.

The talks in Vienna are the first round of high-level of negotiations since an interim deal struck on November 24 under which Tehran curbed some of its nuclear activities for limited international sanctions relief.

On February 17, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, said that he was not optimistic that the nuclear talks would produce a viable agreement, predicting that the process “will not lead anywhere.”

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
RFE/RL