US to press Iran on nuclear capability as deadline looms

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/14/us-iran-nuclear-talks-john-kerry

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The US secretary of state, John Kerry, will press his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, to make "critical choices" in a second day of talks over Tehran's nuclear programme, according to an American official.

Kerry and Zarif met for two hours on Sunday on the sidelines of a meeting between Iran and six major negotiating powers – the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – as a 20 July deadline for a deal with Tehran looms.

Kerry would "gauge Iran's willingness to make the critical choices it needs to make", a senior state department official said. "The secretary will take the time necessary to have that discussion, and that's why they will be meeting again today, to see if progress can be made."

Kerry said on Sunday there were still substantial gaps with Iran on how to reduce its nuclear fuel-making capacity, suggesting that talks may go beyond 20 July unless progress is made this week.

Earlier, a senior US official said Iran was sticking to "unworkable and inadequate" positions.

Iran says it is enriching uranium for peaceful energy purposes only and wants western sanctions lifted. But a history of hiding sensitive nuclear work from UN inspectors has kept international suspicions high.