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Iran nuclear talks deadline extended to July 7: US
Graphic on the Iran nuclear accord, including map showing major facilities and enrichment process
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Graphic on the Iran nuclear accord, including map showing major facilities and enrichment process. (AFP) (AFP)
Graphic on the Iran nuclear accord, including map showing major facilities and enrichment process. (AFP)
Iran and major powers Tuesday effectively gave themselves until July 7 to reach a nuclear deal, the US said as a midnight deadline approached in talks in Vienna with no agreement in sight.
"The P5+1 and Iran have decided to extend the measures under [a 2013 interim deal]... until July 7 to allow more time for negotiations to reach a long-term solution," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said.
A senior State Department official added that this meant that the talks were effectively extended until that date.
The official added however that this did "not necessarily mean they will go until the 7th or end on the 7th."
Under the November 2013 interim deal between major powers and Iran, Tehran froze parts of its nuclear program in exchange for minor relief from painful sanctions.
Iran and the P5+1 -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- have been trying since then to turn this interim deal into a more ambitious and lasting agreement.
After missing two deadlines in July and November 2014, in April 2015 they agreed in Lausanne, Switzerland the main outlines of the final deal and gave themselves until June 30 to finalize it.
Tuesday's announcement came as talks continued in the Austrian capital involving US Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, their Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and others. (iik)(++++)
