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VIENNA Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that negotiators engaged in talks with Iran over its nuclear program are still pushing for a deal by Mondays deadline, though partners in the negotiations have signaled more time may be needed.

We are not talking about an extension, Kerry said before departing Paris. We are talking about getting an agreement.

The remarks contrast with other officials already predicting talks will likely continue beyond the self-imposed Monday deadline. But Kerry appears to seek pressure on Iran to offer clearer concessions and possible steps to satisfy U.N. inspectors during the upcoming round in Vienna.

The latest attempts to hammer out a deal, which began in 2012, have not achieved significant breakthroughs between Iran and the six-nation group: the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany.

The steady contacts, however, have helped define the snags.

Iran seeks an easing of international economic sanctions in exchange for greater monitoring and a possible scaling back of its nuclear program. But Iran insists it will not fully give up its ability to enrich uranium, the process to create nuclear fuel.

Iran claims it only seeks enriched uranium to power reactors for energy and medical applications. The United States and its allies fear Iran could someday boost enrichment levels to make material for a nuclear weapon.

The United Nation nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, also wants greater access to certain sites, including a military base near Tehran, to investigate claims of possible tests related to nuclear arms technology.

We are united ... in our sense of where the issues are, what the issues are and what we need to do, Kerry said at the close of a meeting with his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, whose nation has been at odds with Washington at times over the direction of the talks.

Kerry said the United States is not willing to make a deal with Iran at any price, but also did not specifically insist that a comprehensive deal be reached by Monday.

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Kerry: Iran nuclear talks seek agreements not extension in upcoming deadline