Iran and six world powers were closer than ever to an historic nuclear agreement on Thursday, but it was far from clear whether a deal could be reached with just hours to go before a deadline set by the US congress for a quick review.
Iran and six world powers were closer than ever to an historic nuclear agreement on Thursday, but it was far from clear whether a deal could be reached with just hours to go before a deadline set by the US congress for a quick review.
Over the past two weeks, Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have twice extended deadlines for completing a long-term deal under which Tehran would curb nuclear activities for more than a decade in exchange for sanctions relief.
Negotiators have given themselves until Friday. But if a deal is not reached by 6:00 a.m. in Vienna (0400 GMT), the sceptical Republican-led U.S. Congress will have 60 days rather than 30 days to review it, extra time the administration of President Barack Obama worries could create new chances to derail it.
US Secretary of State John Kerry was due to make a statement about the nuclear talks at about 7:00 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Thursday, a U.S. official said without providing further details.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said it was possible there would be an agreement in the coming hours. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian leader hoped for compromises that would enable an agreement soon.
But the Iranian state broadcaster Press TV cited an Iranian official as saying it was unlikely an agreement would be reached on Thursday.
US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi met in the morning. Salehi told reporters, "Hopefully today is the last day." Moniz added: "We're going to resolve the last issues, if we can."
However a senior Western diplomat said it was "very doubtful" the talks would finish on Thursday.
Western countries accuse Iran of seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its programme is peaceful. A deal would depend on Iran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the easing of economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations, United States and European Union.
A successful deal could be the biggest milestone in decades towards easing hostility between Iran and the United States, enemies since Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979.
It would also be a political success for both Obama and Iran's pragmatic President Hassan Rouhani, who each face scepticism from powerful hardliners at home.
Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have been meeting daily for two weeks to overcome the last remaining obstacles to a deal. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and his British and German counterparts have also rejoined the negotiations.
"96% complete"
The White House said Obama and his national security team held a video conference on Wednesday with Kerry, Moniz and the U.S. negotiating team in Vienna.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the main text of the agreement, as well as five technical annexes, were "around 96 percent complete." While the lifting of sanctions was largely agreed, Araqchi said Tehran's demand for an end to a UN Security Council arms embargo was among the most contentious unresolved points.
Other sticking points in the negotiations have included research and development on advanced centrifuges and access to Iranian military sites and nuclear sites.
Tehran says a UN embargo on conventional weapons has nothing to do with the nuclear issues at stake and must be lifted in any deal. Western countries are keen not to allow Iran to begin importing arms because of its role supporting sides in conflicts in the Middle East.
Iran has powerful support on this issue from Russia. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a summit of BRICS countries - Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa - that the U.N. arms embargo should be among the first sanctions lifted. Iran's President Rouhani was also at the summit and due to meet Putin.
Before leaving Tehran on Wednesday, Rouhani was quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency as saying that "Iran is preparing itself for after the negotiations and after sanctions, in which our relations with other countries ... will expand."
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