Iran nuclear talks extended to end of June

Iran’s nuclear talks with the six world powers will carry on till the end of June, according to British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, confirming earlier reports that negotiations would not reach a conclusion by the deadline of 24 November.

An Iranian official confirmed Hammond's comments shortly afterwards.

The six world powers’ foreign ministers arrived in Vienna on Monday (17 November) for the final round of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme.Their presence may give new impetus to the talks, which still fail to bear fruit so far.

The talks, which have lasted for more than a year, focus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions - the country’s uranium enrichment capacity and the lifting of sanctions slapped on Tehran in 2012 over its nuclear programme. The sides were due to come to an agreement November 24.

However, since Sunday (23 November) various sources have been claiming that the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program might be extended ahead of Monday’s deadline, as it became apparent that the sides wouldn’t be able to strike a deal to break the deadlock.

On Monday (24 November), a source told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Iran and the world powers will postpone talks and continue them in mid-December, possibly in Oman.

"Some progress has been made," said a diplomat involved in the negotiations. "But we need to discuss some issues with our capitals. We will meet again before the New Year. This is an ongoing process."

In the meantime, a representative of Iranian delegation told reporters that Tehran wouldn’t discuss the extension of the talks, but places emphasis on reaching an agreement on the nuclear program, reported RIA Novosti.

A Western diplomat told AFP that the negotiations may be extended to July 1 , 2015. He added that the world powers expect to reach a special arrangement on the “political pieces” of the deal by March.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed the possibility of extending negotiations, according to a US official: "Our focus remains on taking steps forward toward an agreement, but it is only natural that just over 24 hours from the deadline, we are discussing a range of options both internally and with our P5+1 partners," a senior US State Department official said on condition of anonymity.

The source added that “an extension [of the negotiations] is one of those options".

On Sunday the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) cited an unnamed member of Iran's negotiating team in Vienna that the deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme with six world powers “will be impossible” to reach.

"The issue of extension of the talks is an option on the table and we will start discussing it if no deal is reached by Sunday night," the source added.

In the meantime, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the powers will try one more attempt to reach the agreement.

"At the moment we're focused on the last push, a big push [on Monday] morning to try and get this across the line," said. "Of course if we’re not able to do it, we'll then look at where we go from there."

Germany’s Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Iran and the six world powers were “still far apart on many issues” concerning negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

"We are negotiating here with the ambition to reach an agreement," he said. "If this task should not be completed, one definitely would need to look at opportunities so that the road does not end here, but that the negotiating process can be continued."

His thoughts were echoed by his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius.

"We have a final deadline of tomorrow night to find an agreement, but it has to be positive and enables us to work for peace. There are still differences to resolve."

The nuclear reactor in Arak and underground enrichment facility at Fordo, currently under construction, are focal points of discussions between Iran and the six world powers.

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