Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has welcomed progress towards a comprehensive agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program after Iran and the P5+1 countries issued a joint statement in Switzerland.

“This framework agreement is an important step towards a final agreement, which will address international concerns about Iran’s nuclear program,” she said in a media release on Friday.

She called on Iran and six other countries to continue to engage constructively in the negotiations about the remaining details “that need to be addressed over coming few months.”

At the end of eight days of sensitive nuclear negotiations in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Thursday, Iran and the P5+1 states – the US, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany – issued a joint statement, saying that no Iranian nuclear facility will be shut down or suspended and all sanctions against the Islamic Republic will be lifted.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] (L-R) German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Deputy Political Director Alexey Karpov, and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrive at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne after their nuclear talks on April 2, 2015 in Lausanne, Switzerland. © AFP[/caption]

The joint statement is a sign that Iran and its negotiating partners have come to a mutual understanding over Iran’s nuclear program and will work to draw up a final accord by the end of the self-designated June 30 deadline.

Planned visit to Iran

The Australian minister also said she would pay a visit to Iran on April 18, adding that she would discuss the nuclear issue and other important bilateral and regional developments with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior Iranian officials.

Saudi Arabia hopes final deal reinforces security

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman expressed hope on Thursday that a final nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 countries would boost regional and international security.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] Saudi King Salman[/caption]

In a phone call with US President Barack Obama, the Saudi king "expressed his hope that a final binding deal would be reached to reinforce the stability and security of the region and the world," the SPA news agency said.

Austria hails substantial progress in nuclear issue

Austrian President Heinz Fischer welcomed the substantial progress made in the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries following intensive talks.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] Austrian President Heinz Fischer[/caption]

He said the mutual understanding would secure Iran’s right to use nuclear technology for peaceful objectives and also allay the international community’s concerns about possible military diversion in Iran's peaceful nuclear program.

He hoped the outstanding issues could be resolved by summer.

By Press TV