Iran will deliver its final response regarding the 2015 nuclear deal by midnight, Tehran time.

Iran has allegedly stepped towards accepting a European Union proposal through Qatari mediation, with an agreement soon to be signed, according to Iran-based sources.

The EU proposal was submitted to the parliament last week the source, Iranian journalist Saeed Azimi said, though he noted relevant authorities are not yet entirely pleased with it.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian allegedly said that just like any other deal, the text cannot be entirely in Iran’s favour. He also noted the views of thee seven countries involved in the deal were included in the text.

According to the source, the Islamic Republic is expected to share its final response at midnight, Tehran time. The Iranian foreign minister also announced Tehran would deliver its final proposal on a possible deal in Vienna by midnight.

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States initially began in April 2021 in Vienna with the participation of the p4+1, namely the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia plus Germany.

“I’m expecting a yes,” the Tehran Times journalist shared on Twitter. “The rest,” he added, as the foreign minister said is based on the feedback of the United States.

“Crucial days are ahead,” noted the source, adding that an extraordinary meeting was allegedly held on Monday, chaired by Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in order to review the EU proposal.

The source further stressed that the Iranian foreign minister made no remarks about “safeguards being an obstacle to the deal.”

“All he said about obstacles was regarding economic guarantees.”

Tehran has always maintained that obtaining a lasting guarantee of Iran’s full economic benefit from the agreement could yield fruitful negotiations.

“We are at the beginning of the end of the talks,” Amirabdollahian allegedly said, as reported by the source, Saeed Azimi, on Twitter.

“The American side has recently shown verbal flexibility in two issues, but this should be written [in the text]. It is important that the issue of guarantees is dealt with by the US with a realistic approach,” the foreign minister reportedly said.

Upon being asked if he was briefed about the EU draft before it was presented, Russia’s chief representative at the talks, Mikhail Ulyanov said on Twitter Monday: “I am not aware of ‘the EU draft’. The text on the table was elaborated by all participants in the Vienna Talks. The EU introduced on August 8 just a few amendments to it,” adding that Moscow will not be an impediment in the fate of JCPOA’s revival.

A Friday report by state news agency, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), quoted a senior Iranian diplomat as saying an EU proposal to revive the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) “can be acceptable if it provides assurances” on Tehran’s key demands.

The EU said last week it had put forward a “final” text following four days of indirect talks between the US and Iranian officials in Vienna.

No more amendments could be made to the text, which has been under intense negotiation for 15 months, a senior EU official said, according to reports. He added that a final decision from the parties is expected within a “very, very few weeks.”

The unidentified Iranian diplomat was quoted by IRNA as saying the Islamic Republic was assessing the proposal. “Proposals by the EU can be acceptable if they provide Tehran with assurance on the issues of safeguards, sanctions and guarantees,” the diplomat said.

Tehran has always maintained the position that any agreement to revive the nuclear deal should result in the entire removal of the sanctions in a verifiable order. It also required official guarantee by Washington to ensure that no other US administration would abandon the nuclear accord.

The US unilaterally abandoned the JCPOA in May 2018 under the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran. In addition, Washington reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The US has said it is “ready to quickly reach an agreement” to salvage the accord on the basis of the EU proposals, reports said.

The Russian envoy to the talks added on Sunday that sanctions against Iran can be lifted soon.

Iranian officials had said they would reveal their “additional views and considerations” to the EU, which facilitates the talks, after consultations in Tehran.

Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said on Monday during a press conference that the progress has not fully met the legal demands of Tehran and a “consensus” is nearby regarding the talks in Vienna on the condition that Tehran’s “red lines are observed and its main interests are being met.”

Amirabdollahian said on Monday that Washington has “agreed” to two of Tehran’s demands on the talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, IRNA reported.

Iran’s negotiating team abstained from providing a “countdown on the conclusion of the talks, because the government decided not to link the livelihood of the Iranian people to the talks,” the foreign minister said.

The top Iranian diplomat on Saturday expressed: “History ought to have taught the US that language of threat against Iran and Iranians achieves nothing.”

“Futile attempts at deflection won’t allow the US to evade responsibility for the thousands of Iranian and other victims of its involvement in terrorist crimes in our region.”

Qatari authorities have yet to comment on the matter, however Doha recently held two days of talks in a bid to revive stalled negotiations.