#39;New proposals #39; over Iran nuclear programme as talks drag on
Sources close to the talks over Iran #39;s nuclear programme say the top Iranian and US diplomats are working on new proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock. They say ideas are being drawn up...
By: euronews (in English)
Read the original post:
'New proposals' over Iran nuclear programme as talks drag on - Video
Kerry Says #39;big Gaps #39; Remain in Iran Nuclear Talks
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday there were still serious gaps in talks over Iran #39;s nuclear program despite signs of some progress two days before a deadline to reach a deal...
By: WochitGeneralNews
Link:
Kerry Says 'big Gaps' Remain in Iran Nuclear Talks - Video
Last push
But British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said they would launch one more attempt to get a final agreement.
"At the moment we're focused on the last push, a big push tomorrow (Monday) morning to try and get this across the line," he told reporters. "Of course if we're not able to do it, we'll then look at where we go from there."
Some Western officials describe two possible options for a likely rollover. Under one scenario, described as the "stop the clock option", the talks would simply break off and experts from the parties would reconvene in a few weeks for another attempt.
A lengthier option would be a formal extension into next year, adding new elements to an interim accord from last year.
Read MoreSinking oil prompts Iran to push for Saudi Arabian output cut: Report
International Crisis Group's senior Iran analyst Ali Vaez said there could be a "no-cost extension in which the parties would continue negotiating without discussing the terms of a new interim agreement or a firm deadline, with the hope of hammering out the final agreement by the year's end".
Several Western officials have questioned the value of repeatedly extending the talks, saying there is little reason to expect the Iranians will show the flexibility needed to end the impasse in the weeks and months ahead. They have questioned the Iranian leadership's desire to compromise.
Tehran blames the West for the deadlock, saying it has consistently made unreasonable demands of Iran.
They have also warned that the upcoming change in U.S. Congress, where hardline Republicans will soon dominate both houses, means U.S. lawmakers may push for new sanctions on Iran, which the Obama administration has said could torpedo the talks.
See the article here:
Iran, powers set to extend nuclear talks
With the deadline for their nuclear talks just hours away, the U.S. and Iran took up the fall-back option of putting more time on the clock.
Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, began discussing late yesterday whether to extend the deadline, said a State Department official who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential. The U.S. is also discussing a possible extension with the other world powers working to curb Irans nuclear program, including France, Russia, China, the U.K. and Germany, the official said.
That development recognizes that they may have run out of time to complete a comprehensive deal by tonights deadline given what both sides describe as significant gaps. An extension would present both practical and political problems, though both sides said its preferable to a breakdown in the diplomacy, which could then lead to military conflict over Irans nuclear activities.
Still, there were signs that diplomats had not given up on perhaps reaching a less ambitious agreement in a bid to resolve the 11-year standoff over suspicions that Iran secretly aspires to gain the capability to produce nuclear weapons.
Were still quite a long way apart and there are some very tough and complex issues to deal with, U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told the BBC after flying back to Vienna late yesterday for a working dinner with Kerry and his counterparts from France and Germany. At the moment, were focused on the last push, a big push tomorrow morning, to try and get this across the line.
Iranian men hold placards during a demonstration outside the Tehran Research Reactor in the capital Tehran on Nov. 23, 2014, to show their support to Iran's nuclear programme. Close
Iranian men hold placards during a demonstration outside the Tehran Research Reactor in... Read More
Close
Iranian men hold placards during a demonstration outside the Tehran Research Reactor in the capital Tehran on Nov. 23, 2014, to show their support to Iran's nuclear programme.
That effort may include the involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who plans to call Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today, according to the Russian state-run Tass news agency. Russia remains at our side in the nuclear talks, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in an interview on ARD German public television yesterday.
See the article here:
Iran Nuclear Talks May Be Extended If Final Push Falls Short
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Vienna (CNN) -- The United States might extend a deadline to reach a comprehensive agreement on Iran's nuclear program, a senior State Department official told CNN.
International negotiators in Vienna, Austria, are scrambling to reach a deal by Monday's deadline.
"It is only natural that less than 48 hours from the deadline we are discussing a range of options," the official said. "An extension is one of those options."
Both sides appeared to be pointing to the possibility of yet another extension to the monthslong series of negotiations, whose final outcome is expected to have a lasting effect on Iran's relations with the West.
U.S. President Barack Obama, asked about the deadline in an interview broadcast Sunday morning on ABC's "This Week," didn't reject the idea.
"I think that what we're going to do is take a look at what emerges over the course of the weekend," he said.
When asked if Congress would approve any agreement with Iran, Obama said, "I'm confident that if we reach a deal that is verifiable and assures that Iran does not have breakout capacity, that not only can I persuade Congress, but I can persuade the American people that it's the right thing to do."
But media in Tehran were skeptical about the deadline.
Based on the differences that remain between negotiators, and in light of the limited time remaining, reaching a deal by Monday "would be impossible," the Iranian Students' News Agency reported Sunday, citing an unidentified Iranian official involved in the talks.
Read the rest here:
U.S. may extend Iran nuclear talks