Elements are falling into place for an agreement to allow talks on Iran’s nuclear programme to continue another seven months, a well-placed western diplomat has said.
The diplomat said that according to the deal, a broad agreement should be completed by March 1 2015, with the final details worked out by July 1.
The diplomat is familiar with the discussions now taking place in Vienna, Austria, on how to continue the negotiations past the original deal deadline of midnight tonight.
The comments matched earlier word that negotiations had now turned two-track, with the sides still racing to reduce differences at the negotiating table but also working on how long to extend the talks.
US secretary of state John Kerry and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif agreed to start discussions on the extension as it became clear that it would be hard to bridge the differences between them in the time before the deadline.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said Monday negotiators are still having “consultations” on a final agreement that meets both US demands for strict curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme and Iran’s push for sanctions relief, also suggesting that moves toward an immediate deal had not yet been abandoned.
International negotiators are worried that Iran is using its nuclear development program as a cover for developing nuclear weapons, and they have imposed economic sanctions on Tehran. Iran denies that, saying it is only interested in producing power.
Mr Wang joined the foreign ministers of the other countries negotiating with Iran – the US, Russia, UK, France and Germany, in a top-level diplomatic effort to push the talks forward.