Iran’s foreign minister said on Friday August 15 that it is “unrealistic” to think that the nuclear dispute between Iran and the 5+1 will be resolved before the end of the four-month extension allotted for the talks.

Mohammad Javad Zarif told the Khaneh Mellat website that even if a general consensus is reached beforehand, time will be needed to work out all the details.

According to the interim deal reached last November in Geneva, the parties were to have a comprehensive draft of a final resolution by the end of July 2014. However, that deadline has now been extended by another four months.

Despite statements by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei that negotiations with the U.S. are “useless”, Zarif stated that the nuclear talks are progressing well.

He also explained why Iran is holding direct talks with U.S. representatives on the sidelines of the 5+1 negotiations: direct communication with the other members of the 5+1 can continue through their mutual embassies, Zarif said, but the U.S. and Iran have no official diplomatic relations and no embassy in each other’s country. Iran and the U.S. have not had official diplomatic relations since 1979 and the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Iran.

Radio Zamaneh