Local Editor

Iran has made important progress in its effort to implement the international agreement to curtail its nuclear program, but its actions must still be independently verified, the White House said Friday.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a briefing that the Islamic Republic appeared to work aggressively to fulfill their part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Iran nuclear deal and it's possible the country has already completed all the necessary steps.

However, Earnest said Iran would not receive sanctions relief until the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] confirms it has complied with the agreement. "We want to make sure they don't cut any corners."

Earnest said he had no update on the timing of the implementation of the nuclear agreement.

The IAEA report verifying that Iran has kept its promises under the accord is likely to be issued Saturday, paving the way for sanctions on Tehran to be lifted, a diplomatic source said Friday.

Iranian and other officials had previously said they expected the report to come out Friday.

"Almost all details are ironed out," said another diplomatic source, based in the Austrian capital.

Vienna is home to the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog in charge of monitoring Iran's implementation of the measures required in the deal Iran reached with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany last July.

"There may be some sort of a meeting tomorrow in Vienna, after which, if everything goes well, we will issue a statement from the secretary-general," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Iran's foreign minister and the European Union's foreign policy chief in Vienna Saturday to discuss developments, the US State Department said Friday.

"All parties have continued making steady progress toward Implementation Day of the JCPOA, which will ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a brief statement announcing Kerry's plans to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Vienna.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team