Kerry: Iran talks extended, ‘some tough issues remain unresolved’
(Worthy News) – The negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program will continue past the latest July 9 deadline, US Secretary of State John Kerry said from the talks in Vienna on Thursday evening, the Times of Israel reported.
“Some tough issues remain unresolved,” Kerry said, adding that “we will not rush and we will not be rushed.”
Kerry did not specify an end date during his brief statement to reporters outside of the Vienna hotel where the negotiations are taking place, but stated that the negotiations were “not open-ended.” He said that the president had made that “very clear to me last night.” [ Source ]
Iran nuke talks snag over lifting arms embargo
Just as the two sides were moving closer to a nuclear agreement, Iran this week demanded that conventional weapons and missile embargoes be among the sanctions lifted in return for curbing its nuclear program.
That demand complicates the talks because the United States, Britain, France and Germany oppose such a move, but Russia and China want the embargo lifted so they can sell ballistic missiles and other weaponry to Iran.
“The arms embargoes themselves are not so much important to Iran, but the point is that no sanctions should be kept if there is to be a deal with Iran,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi said in Vienna, where negotiators are trying to complete a deal, according to the Iranian Fars News Agency. [ Source ]
New Delay Complicates US Ability to Implement Iran Nuke Deal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is signaling diplomats won’t conclude an Iran nuclear agreement by early Friday morning, complicating American efforts to quickly implement any deal.
Under U.S. law, the seven nations negotiating in Vienna have to complete the accord before the end of Thursday in Washington to avoid invoking a 60-day congressional review period during which the Obama administration cannot waive sanctions on Iran.
If they meet the target, the review would only be 30 days. [ Source ]