U.S., Iran cite progress in nuke talks, but deal unclear
WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran began a break in nuclear negotiations Saturday amid differing views over how much progress the parties are making.
Speaking after a week of talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that negotiators "have made substantial progress" but "important gaps remain."
A more optimistic Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said "achieving a deal is possible" and "there is nothing that can't be resolved," according to the state news agency IRNA.
The talks are expected to resume next week, as the U.S., its allies and Iran seek the basic framework to a long-term agreement by the end of the month.
In the meantime, critics from Israel to congressional Republicans question whether a deal can prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Negotiators are talking about an agreement in which the U.S. and its allies would reduce crippling economic sanctions on Iran if it pledges to give up the means to make nuclear weapons.
Kerry said that "fundamental decisions" have to be made now, and "they don't get any easier as time goes by. ... It is time to make hard decisions."
Remaining disputes include exactly when and how economic sanctions on Iran would be reduced. The countries are also discussing the precise details of Iranian nuclear activity, and how outside inspections of the program would be conducted. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.
"In this round of talks, shared points of view emerged in some of the areas where there had been a difference of opinion, which can be a foundation for a final agreement," Rouhani said according to IRNA.
Newly re-elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sees Iran as an existential threat, has questioned whether an agreement will prevent a nuclear Tehran. Congressional Republicans — and some Democrats — have raised similar questions and threatened to hit Iran with more sanctions, perhaps scuttling any agreement.
U.S. lawmakers have agreed to delay consideration of a bill that would force the Obama administration to submit any agreement with Iran to Congress for approval. The administration has vowed to veto such a measure.
In a video message to Iran this week marking the Persian holiday of Nowruz, Obama said, "I believe that our nations have an historic opportunity to resolve this issue peacefully — an opportunity we should not miss."
The United States is joined in the Iran talks by five allies: Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. Some of them have differing views on the progress of the talks.
Top Russian negotiator Sergey Ryabkov and Iran's atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi said in recent days that the technical work is nearly done, the Associated Press reported. But French officials said the opposite, declaring that the sides are far from any agreement.
France, which raised last-minute objections to an interim agreement reached with Iran in 2013, has said it is opposed to quick relief from sanctions and wants a longer timeline for the overall agreement.
Gerard Araud, the French ambassador to the United States, said in a series of tweets that the parties should not pressure themselves to reach a framework this month. The parties have set a late June deadline to reach the details of a final agreement.
"Making the end of March an absolute deadline is counterproductive and dangerous," Araud said in one tweet. "Need all our time to finalize a complex agreement."
Kerry, who will meet with European partners in London before returning to Washington, D.C., said the allies are working in concert.
"We have not yet reached the finish line, but make no mistake we have the opportunity to try to get this right," Kerry said. "It is a matter of political will and tough decision-making."