Iran nuclear talks deadline extended
What you need to know:
- 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.
VIENNA, Monday
The deadline for an Iran nuclear deal 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”.
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.
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.
RESUME IN DECEMBER
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) per month in frozen assets during that period.
Diplomats expect to reach a political agreement by 1 March, with the full technical details of the agreement confirmed by 1 July.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hammond said that the failure to agree on 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”.
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He said he was aware that hardliners opposed to any deal were vocal both in Iran and the US, which was why talks would continue again in December. (BBC)
