Wires-Pres. Rouhani: 'Significant Progress' Made On Nuclear Deal

Wires and social media reporting comments from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stating that there has been 'significant progress' made at the talks in Vienna regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA, the Iran nuclear deal).

• Comes as talks are due to resume between Iran and the other current JCPoA signatories (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK), and days after the US is provided a list of sanctions that could be lifted if the US signed up once again to the deal.
• Rouhani's comments also come at a tense time in the Iranian gov't following the release of an audio recording of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticising the Revolutionary Guards was spread on social media. Zarif, viewed as a potential moderate candidate to replace Rouhani, whose second and final term in office expires in June, despite his assurances he is not going to run for the presidency.
• The leak of the recording may be a sign of an increasingly bitter battle for the presidency between hardliners and moderates within the gov't, which is only likely to intensify in the coming weeks. The internal power struggle could also act as a hindrance to potential progress in JCPoA talks.