Iranian nuclear delegation not fasting during Ramazan

An exemption in Islam gives travellers a break from fasting

While Ramazan is being observed around the globe by Muslims, the Iranian negotiating team and journalists from Iran that flew to Vienna for the nuclear talks are not fasting.

The Iranian delegates in Austria are eating and drinking and sitting down for Halal meals at the Iranian embassy in Vienna because they are 'travellers'.

Travellers and the sick are exempt from fasting according to the Holy Quran, explained the journalists travelling with the negotiating team. The release from fasting is for Muslims travelling for less than ten days and takes into account the duration the traveller intended to stay away from home.

Read:The global and regional impact of Iran’s nuclear deal

Since the rule applies to travellers alone, the Iranian journalists and diplomat who are permanent residents of Vienna continued to fast as usual.

The members of the Iranian team can make up for the number of days they didn’t fast in the following months, either altogether or weekly or monthly as preferred.

Last year when there was no specific deadline, the talks stretched beyond ten days, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif  drove for 13 miles into the countryside in his care, which based on a traditional calculation qualified him as traveller once more.

Read:Britain says no Iran deal 'better than a bad deal'

Meanwhile After a bleak couple of days with both sides trading accusations over the stalemate in the dragging negotiations, Kerry praised the "very constructive" atmosphere on friday reports AFP.

"I think we have resolved some of the things that were outstanding and we’ve made some progress," Kerry said, as he met with his team of experts at the Palais Coburg hosting the talks in Vienna.

Further, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he believed "a compromise should be found" after hosting a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Urals city of Ufa.

The article originally appeared on Washington Post