This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30180968
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Iran nuclear talks deadline extended to end of June | Iran nuclear talks deadline extended to end of June |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The deadline for a nuclear deal with Iran has been extended to the end of June after talks in Vienna failed to reach a comprehensive agreement. | |
| UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said good progress had been made, but it was "not possible to get an agreement by the [original] deadline". | UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said good progress had been made, but it was "not possible to get an agreement by the [original] deadline". |
| Six world powers want Iran to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. | Six world powers want Iran to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. |
| 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 six countries - the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany - have been in negotiations with Iran to finalise a preliminary deal reached last year in Geneva. | The six countries - the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany - have been in negotiations with Iran to finalise a preliminary deal reached last year in Geneva. |
| Speaking after the Vienna talks had ended, Mr Hammond said that negotiations would resume in December, and would be extended until 30 June 2015. | Speaking after the Vienna talks had ended, Mr Hammond said that negotiations would resume in December, and would be extended until 30 June 2015. |
| Iran would be allowed to continue accessing $700m (£450m) a month in frozen assets during that period. | |
| Diplomats are hoping to reach a high-level political agreement by 1 March, with the full technical details of the agreement confirmed by 1 July. | |
| 'Maintaining momentum' | 'Maintaining momentum' |
| Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hammond said that the failure to agree a deal was "a disappointment, but rather than continue blindly we have to recognise the reality that we're not going to make a deal tonight". | Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hammond said that the failure to agree a deal was "a disappointment, but rather than continue blindly we have to recognise the reality that we're not going to make a deal tonight". |
| Talks timetable | |
| 24 Nov 2013: Six-month interim deal agreed; aim to reach final deal by 20 July 2014 | |
| 19 Jul 2014: Interim deal extended until 24 Nov | |
| 24 Nov: Agree to meet again in December and extend deadline for "political agreement" to 1 March 2015 and final deal by end June 2015 | |
| He said he was aware that there were hardliners opposed to any deal in both Iran and the US, and said talks would resume again in December to try to keep up the pace of discussions. | |
| "We are all clear that enough progress has been made that maintaining the current momentum, and keeping working at it, does give us the prospect of getting to a deal," he added. | "We are all clear that enough progress has been made that maintaining the current momentum, and keeping working at it, does give us the prospect of getting to a deal," he added. |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is to give a national address at 18:00 GMT, Iranian news agencies reported. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is to give a national address at 18:00 GMT, Iranian news agencies reported. |
| There are thought to have been three key sticking points in the negotiations: | There are thought to have been three key sticking points in the negotiations: |
| 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. |
| However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has been unable to confirm Tehran's assertions that its nuclear activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes. | However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has been unable to confirm Tehran's assertions that its nuclear activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes. |
| Highly enriched uranium can be used to make a nuclear bomb, but uranium enriched to lower levels can be used for energy purposes. | |
| The United Nations Security Council has adopted six resolutions since 2006 requiring Iran to stop enriching uranium, with sanctions to persuade Iran to comply. | The United Nations Security Council has adopted six resolutions since 2006 requiring Iran to stop enriching uranium, with sanctions to persuade Iran to comply. |
| The US and EU have imposed additional sanctions on Iranian oil exports and banks since 2012, hitting Iran's oil revenue badly. | The US and EU have imposed additional sanctions on Iranian oil exports and banks since 2012, hitting Iran's oil revenue badly. |
| Both Saudi Arabia and Israel are also vehemently opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal visited Vienna at the weekend for talks with US Secretary of State Mr Kerry, though his country is not formally involved in the discussions. | Both Saudi Arabia and Israel are also vehemently opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal visited Vienna at the weekend for talks with US Secretary of State Mr Kerry, though his country is not formally involved in the discussions. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has not ruled out bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, told the BBC that "no deal is better than a bad deal". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has not ruled out bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, told the BBC that "no deal is better than a bad deal". |