Lastest News On Iran nuclear talks: Ministers to issue 'general statement'

 

The negotiations are being chaired by the EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini 

Nuclear talks between six world powers and Iran could go on past a midnight (22:00 GMT) deadline, US officials say.

Representatives are reportedly preparing to issue a general statement focusing on points of agreement, which would be enough to allow for a new phase of talks on a comprehensive deal.
But there is no sign that the most contentious issues have been resolved.
The world powers want to restrict Iran's nuclear programme in return for relief from crippling sanctions.
The so-called P5+1 - the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany - are seeking to ensure Iran could not assemble a nuclear weapon in less than a year.
The Iranians insist that they have no such ambition.

'Good' chance

Foreign ministers met several times at Lausanne's Beau-Rivage Palace hotel on Tuesday morning in a high-level push to meet the self-imposed deadline to agree a political framework agreement by the end of the day.
Russia's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, announced that prospects were "very good and promising", and said he was returning to the talks after leaving for another engagement on Monday.
Journalists are gathered outside Lausanne's Beau-Rivage Palace hotel, waiting for news from the talks 
 
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Monday had produced "a little more light" 
On Tuesday afternoon, a senior US official said the meetings might go beyond the deadline "if we are continuing to make progress, including into tomorrow, if it's useful to do so".
The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher, who is at the talks, says there is no sign that the most intractable problems have been resolved.
Officials told the Associated Press that there were plans to issue a "framework understanding", accompanied by documents outlining more technical details.
This would be enough for all parties to continue negotiations in a new phase aimed at achieving a comprehensive accord by 30 June, our correspondent says.

At the scene: Barbara Plett, BBC News, Lausanne
Negotiators worked late into the night and are continuing talks this morning in an all-out effort to meet the deadline.
The six global powers are closer than they have ever been to resolving the longstanding tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. Progress has been made on steps to curb and monitor Iran's production of enriched uranium, which can be used to make the core of a nuclear warhead.
But substantive differences remain. These include the pace of sanctions relief and the nature of restrictions on Iran's nuclear research and development.
If a broad framework agreement is reached by the end of the day, it would be used as the basis of a final accord. No-one here has given a clear answer as to what would happen if it is not.
Sense of history at Iran talks
Six key points in the nuclear crisis
How do Iranians see the nuclear talks?

After months of negotiations, she adds, the basic outline is well known: Iran would scale back the dimensions of its nuclear programme and subject it to rigorous inspection for at least 10 years. In exchange, there would be an easing and eventual termination of UN, US and EU sanctions.
However, there has not been an agreement on some of the key technical details and political trade-offs involved in making that happen. These are said to include:

• Length of restrictions - Iran's nuclear activities would be strictly limited for at least 10 years. After that, Iran wants all limits to be lifted. The P5+1 says they should be removed progressively over the following five years
• Sanctions relief - Iran wants the UN sanctions suspended soon after an agreement. The P5+1 says they should be eased in a phased manner, with restrictions on imports of nuclear-related technology remaining for years
• Non-compliance - The US and its European allies want a mechanism that would allow suspended UN sanctions to be put back into effect rapidly if Iran reneges on a deal. Russia reportedly accepts this, but wants to ensure its Security Council veto rights are protected

Another point of contention is Iran's desire to be able to develop advanced centrifuges, which could enrich uranium faster and in greater quantities. While enriched uranium is used as fuel for nuclear reactors, it can also be used to make nuclear bombs.

Iran's key nuclear sites

Adding to the list of issues to be resolved, Iran's lead negotiator ruled out on Sunday sending its existing stockpile of nuclear fuel abroad, one of the steps demanded by the P5+1.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among the opponents of the proposed deal. On Tuesday, he warned it would reduce the time Iran would need to build a nuclear weapon, if it chose to do so, "to under a year and perhaps far less than that".