Iran Nuclear Talks on Pause as Deadline Looms
Diplomats seeking the framework of a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief are taking leave of Switzerland — but only for a few days.
“Yes, we are all leaving,” a smiling Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said as he walked past reporters at the luxury Beau Rivage Hotel in Lausanne, site of the 1920s treaty that finally dissolved the Ottoman Empire.
Days and nights of intensive talks on the shore of Lake Geneva brought the sides closer to an understanding of what needs to be in a final nuclear deal, according to U.S., European and Iranian officials. Both sides have reportedly made major, painful concessions compared with their earlier positions.
However, those could all fall away if negotiators can’t reach a full, comprehensive accord.
With just days left before a self-imposed, end-of-month deadline to announce what the Iranians prefer to call “solutions” and the Americans call a “political understanding,” stubborn gaps remain. Sticking points include the length of an agreement, the amount of nuclear R&D that Iran should be permitted under a deal, and which sanctions will be lifted when, and in response to what action by Iran.
More: Iran Nuclear Talks on Pause as Deadline Looms : The Two-Way : NPR