It is hard to picture Iran’s nuclear talks with world powers without the beaming face of foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who, in reaching a deal, has shown the power of what Iranians call ‘smile diplomacy’.

Iran and six world powers are in “50 to 60% agreement” on the shape of a nuclear deal meant to crimp any potential Iranian attempt to build nuclear arms in exchange for an end to crippling economic sanctions, the country’s foreign minister said.

Euphoria in Tehran, fury in Jerusalem, and a mixed reaction in Washington has greeted the accord reached with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme.

IRAN’S supreme leader and its president said yesterday that Tehran would not abandon its nuclear programme and rejected its referral to the UN Security Council as unjust.

Hundreds of protesters called for the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei as thousands of onlookers watched early today, the third day of demonstrations in Tehran despite threats by the hard-line regime to crack down to end the disturbances.