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This 2011 photo shows Iran's heavy water nuclear facility near the city of Arak, one of several sites that would be impacted by a landmark deal with world powers being negotiated this week in Switzerland.(Photo: Hamid Foroutan, AP)

As a self-imposed Tuesday deadline nears, the United States and five other world powers are negotiating with Iran on an agreement that limits Iran's nuclear program to peaceful purposes and ensures it does not develop nuclear weapons.

Here are the major sticking points that have divided negotiators:

Lifting sanctions

Iran has said it wants most international financial sanctions, which have strangled its economy, lifted right away once a deal is struck, with the rest lifted within 10 years. The United States wanted sanctions lifted more gradually, over 20 years or more, to ensure Iran abides by terms of the deal. Both sides agree that lifting sanctions will be tied to Iran's implementation of various requirements in the agreement. Negotiators appear to be settling on a compromise 15-year time frame, with some sanctions lifted earlier, according to media reports.

Nuclear fuel stockpiles

Iran has large stockpiles of low-grade uranium fuel that could be processed further for use in a bomb. World powers have sought to have that fuel shipped to Russia for processing, but Iran has rejected that option. One possible compromise: diluting or converting the fuel to forms that cannot be used in weapons, although that process could be reversed.

Centrifuges

Iran is operating roughly half of its 19,000 centrifuge machines to produce uranium fuel that can be used for peaceful reactors or for bombs. It has said it needs nearly 200,000 centrifuges to keep all of its planned reactors running. Such a large number would allow it to produce enough fuel for bombs quickly. The United States has agreed to a limit of just 6,500 operating centrifuges, according to media reports.

Bunkered nuclear sites

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Five hurdles to an Iran nuclear deal