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| Iran nuclear deal: Extension talk as deadline looms | Iran nuclear deal: Extension talk as deadline looms |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Time is running out for a world powers to strike a deal with Iran to cut UN sanctions in return for action to scale back its nuclear programme. | Time is running out for a world powers to strike a deal with Iran to cut UN sanctions in return for action to scale back its nuclear programme. |
| Diplomats from six major nations and Iran are meeting in Vienna, and face a 23:00 GMT deadline to resolve a dispute that has lasted 12 years. | Diplomats from six major nations and Iran are meeting in Vienna, and face a 23:00 GMT deadline to resolve a dispute that has lasted 12 years. |
| They said earlier that major differences remained, suggesting they could now aim to extend the talks. | They said earlier that major differences remained, suggesting they could now aim to extend the talks. |
| Tehran says it is not seeking nuclear weapons, but wants atomic energy. | Tehran says it is not seeking nuclear weapons, but wants atomic energy. |
| The US, UK, Russia, China and France, plus Germany, are trying with Iran to finalise a preliminary deal reached last year in Geneva. | The US, UK, Russia, China and France, plus Germany, are trying with Iran to finalise a preliminary deal reached last year in Geneva. |
| "At the moment, we are focused on the last push... to try and get this across the line," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. | "At the moment, we are focused on the last push... to try and get this across the line," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. |
| "Of course, if we're not able to do that, we will then look at where we're going from there." | "Of course, if we're not able to do that, we will then look at where we're going from there." |
| A senior US state department official told reporters: "It is only natural that just over 24 hours from the deadline we are discussing a range of options... an extension is one of those options." | A senior US state department official told reporters: "It is only natural that just over 24 hours from the deadline we are discussing a range of options... an extension is one of those options." |
| The delegates could also set out a framework of a deal that would be finalised later. | The delegates could also set out a framework of a deal that would be finalised later. |
| Why the talks could falter | Why the talks could falter |
| Uranium enrichment: Western states want to reduce Iran's capacity in order to prevent it acquiring weapons-grade material but Tehran is set on expanding it nearly 20-fold in the coming years | Uranium enrichment: Western states want to reduce Iran's capacity in order to prevent it acquiring weapons-grade material but Tehran is set on expanding it nearly 20-fold in the coming years |
| Sanctions reduction: Iran wants sanctions lifted immediately but Western states want to stagger their removal to ensure Tehran abides by its commitments | Sanctions reduction: Iran wants sanctions lifted immediately but Western states want to stagger their removal to ensure Tehran abides by its commitments |
| Bomb technology: Iran has failed to explain explosives tests and other activity that could be linked to a nuclear weapons programme and has denied international nuclear inspectors access to its Parchin military site | Bomb technology: Iran has failed to explain explosives tests and other activity that could be linked to a nuclear weapons programme and has denied international nuclear inspectors access to its Parchin military site |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that "if the West does not make excessive demands, an agreement is within reach", according to Iran's Resalat newspaper. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that "if the West does not make excessive demands, an agreement is within reach", according to Iran's Resalat newspaper. |
| Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Vienna, meaning the foreign ministers of all of the so-called P5+1 group are now in attendance. | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Vienna, meaning the foreign ministers of all of the so-called P5+1 group are now in attendance. |
| He told reporters at the Palais Coburg hotel. where the talks are being held, that he had "come with a Chinese proposal for settling the various focal issues". | He told reporters at the Palais Coburg hotel. where the talks are being held, that he had "come with a Chinese proposal for settling the various focal issues". |
| Analysis: Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Vienna | Analysis: Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor, Vienna |
| Success would do much to lift Iran's isolation - which would change the strategic balance in the Middle East. That intrigues some Western diplomats. It horrifies Saudi Arabia and Israel. | Success would do much to lift Iran's isolation - which would change the strategic balance in the Middle East. That intrigues some Western diplomats. It horrifies Saudi Arabia and Israel. |
| A year ago in Geneva all sides in the talks saw an opportunity to deal with an issue that could potentially cause another catastrophic war. That will make them very reluctant to leave Vienna empty-handed - even if that means they will have to do more work on the details next year. | A year ago in Geneva all sides in the talks saw an opportunity to deal with an issue that could potentially cause another catastrophic war. That will make them very reluctant to leave Vienna empty-handed - even if that means they will have to do more work on the details next year. |
| Time is limited though. Hardliners in Tehran and Washington DC will try to sabotage any agreement. Both see no reason to dilute their mutual suspicion. | Time is limited though. Hardliners in Tehran and Washington DC will try to sabotage any agreement. Both see no reason to dilute their mutual suspicion. |
| Intense negotiation | Intense negotiation |
| When US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday - their sixth encounter in four days of talks - an extension was discussed, according to an unnamed Iranian source who spoke to AFP news agency. | When US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday - their sixth encounter in four days of talks - an extension was discussed, according to an unnamed Iranian source who spoke to AFP news agency. |
| The proposed agreement hinges on the rate at which the sanctions against Iran would be lifted if Tehran agreed to highly specific limits on the amount of uranium it could enrich. | The proposed agreement hinges on the rate at which the sanctions against Iran would be lifted if Tehran agreed to highly specific limits on the amount of uranium it could enrich. |
| Highly enriched uranium can be used to make a nuclear bomb, but uranium enriched to lower levels can be used for energy purposes. | Highly enriched uranium can be used to make a nuclear bomb, but uranium enriched to lower levels can be used for energy purposes. |
| Under the terms of international treaties, countries have the right to develop nuclear energy, which Iran insists is its only aim. | Under the terms of international treaties, countries have the right to develop nuclear energy, which Iran insists is its only aim. |
| Under an agreement reached in Geneva last year, Iran was to curb some of its uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief. | Under an agreement reached in Geneva last year, Iran was to curb some of its uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief. |
| However, the two sides failed to reach a lasting deal by July, as initially agreed, and extended the deadline until 24 November. | However, the two sides failed to reach a lasting deal by July, as initially agreed, and extended the deadline until 24 November. |
| US President Barack Obama acknowledged on Sunday that "significant" gaps between the two sides remained, and that President Rouhani had "to deal with his politics at home". | US President Barack Obama acknowledged on Sunday that "significant" gaps between the two sides remained, and that President Rouhani had "to deal with his politics at home". |
| "He's not the ultimate decider inside of Iran, the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] is," Mr Obama told US broadcaster ABC. | "He's not the ultimate decider inside of Iran, the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] is," Mr Obama told US broadcaster ABC. |
| Both Saudi Arabia and Israel are also vehemently opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal visited Vienna at the weekend, though his country is not formally involved in the talks. | Both Saudi Arabia and Israel are also vehemently opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal visited Vienna at the weekend, though his country is not formally involved in the talks. |
| He and Mr Kerry talked in his plane parked on the Vienna Airport tarmac on Sunday, diplomats told AP news agency. | He and Mr Kerry talked in his plane parked on the Vienna Airport tarmac on Sunday, diplomats told AP news agency. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has not ruled out bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, told Mr Kerry by phone that a deal which left large parts of the facilities intact would be a "historic mistake". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has not ruled out bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, told Mr Kerry by phone that a deal which left large parts of the facilities intact would be a "historic mistake". |
| A senior US official who spoke to Reuters stressed the world powers had not changed their position on Iran's past activities during the talks. | A senior US official who spoke to Reuters stressed the world powers had not changed their position on Iran's past activities during the talks. |
| "We've always said that any agreement must resolve the issue to our satisfaction. That has not changed," the official said. | "We've always said that any agreement must resolve the issue to our satisfaction. That has not changed," the official said. |
| Iranian press review, by BBC Monitoring | |
| Papers across the political spectrum display a mixture of hope and defiance. The two sides have reached the "point of no return", says the reformist Sharq, and agreement will be reached "if the other side abstains from raising its expectations", thinks Arabic-language Al-Vefagh. | |
| The conservative Khorasan says that, even if the talks fall through, Iran's economy will take only a minor hit, as it will be able to adapt with the help of Russia and China. The reformist Etemaad is certain that world opinion will blame any failure on the West, as Iran has been "serious about reaching an agreement". The moderate paper Iran says failure is "unimaginable", as the consequences would be serious for the US. | |
| But the conservative Resalat says that a deadline extension would mean negotiators can "continue this game for longer", and that, whatever the outcome, it will only lead to "even louder shouts of Death to America and Death to Israel". |