Washington, Oct 9 (IANS): Top diplomats of the US, the European Union (EU) and Iran will meet next week as the deadline approaches for negotiating a comprehensive agreement over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will have a tri-lateral meeting Oct 15 in Vienna, US State Department spokeswoman, Jennifer Psaki said.

She said Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Senior Advisor for the Iran nuclear negotiations Jake Sullivan will meet with Iranian officials Oct 14 to prepare for the tri-lateral meeting.

The US, along with Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany, is trying to ink a final deal with Iran on its nuclear programme through negotiations set to end Nov 24.

Differences remain over Iran's capacity to enrich uranium, a process that can make fuel for peaceful nuclear uses as Tehran claims, but also for making atomic bombs.