Iran hopeful of nuclear deal by July 7

TEHRAN - Iran hopes the long-awaited nuclear agreement over the country's controversial nuclear program will be finalized by the new July 7 deadline, Iranian senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state IRIB TV Wednesday.

"We hope the deal will be concluded in the next week, but to guarantee a good deal we are not bound by time," Araqchi was quoted as saying.

Several points still need to be ironed out, and Iranian representatives along with world powers are working round the clock on those issues, he said.

Although everyone is working towards clinching the deal, it does not imply that everyone would be satisfied with a deal at any price, he said.

Essentially, it "should be a good deal, and for Iranians a good deal means observing the red lines and framework drawn by the supreme leader," he stressed.

Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that both the United Nations and western countries' economic sanctions against Iran should be lifted as soon as a nuclear deal is signed.

The Iranian leader reiterated that Iran would not accept "unconventional inspections," "excessive pressures" nor inspections of its military sites as terms in the accord.

Under a nuclear deal, Iran will not accept long-term limits of 10 years concerning its nuclear program, he added.

Research and development programs concerning Iran's nuclear technology should continue during the deal implementation, he maintained.

Iran and five United Nations Security Council permanent members plus Germany (P5+1) missed the previously set self-imposed June 30 deadline for a comprehensive deal.

Both sides agreed Tuesday to extend the deadline to July 7.

Iran and the P5+1 group are after a long-term solution to the disputed Iranian nuclear issue.