TEHRAN – The next round of nuclear talks between Iran and the 5+1 group of major world powers is slated to be held in Vienna at the levels of deputy foreign ministers and experts from Tuesday through to Friday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry director for political affairs says.

Hamid Baeidinejad reminded that the representatives of Iran and the 5+1 group face “an overwhelming task” of narrowing their differences in the upcoming round of nuclear talks.

Experts from Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany ended their latest round of talks in New York on Thursday, which were held on the sidelines of the NPT review conference.

Writing on his Instagram page, Baeidinejad said in the latest round of the negotiations in New York, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held important talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

The two sides held nine days of deputy-level and eleven days of expert-level talks, he said, adding that negotiations in New York took some 200 hours in total.

The next round of negotiations is aimed at reducing the gaps and agreeing on issues of difference, Baeidinejad said.

Iran and the 5+1 group reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.

The sides are expected to finalize a comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear program by the end of June.

MD/P