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| Iran Nuclear Talks Extended to Wednesday, Negotiators Say | Iran Nuclear Talks Extended to Wednesday, Negotiators Say |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The United States and its negotiating partners on Tuesday extended their deadline for reaching a preliminary accord with Iran on its nuclear program until Wednesday. | |
| But that one-day extension came with a White House warning that the Obama administration was prepared to step back from its diplomatic efforts if it concluded that the initial accord could not be reached. | But that one-day extension came with a White House warning that the Obama administration was prepared to step back from its diplomatic efforts if it concluded that the initial accord could not be reached. |
| “I actually would say that if we’re not able to reach a political agreement in the timeline that we’ve described that we would walk away from the negotiating table,” said Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman. | “I actually would say that if we’re not able to reach a political agreement in the timeline that we’ve described that we would walk away from the negotiating table,” said Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman. |
| The Obama administration has approached the talks as a two-phase process. The preliminary accord it is trying to negotiate as a first step is intended to lay the foundation for a more detailed accord that would be fleshed out by the end of June. | The Obama administration has approached the talks as a two-phase process. The preliminary accord it is trying to negotiate as a first step is intended to lay the foundation for a more detailed accord that would be fleshed out by the end of June. |
| The nations involved in the talks with Iran are Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. | The nations involved in the talks with Iran are Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. |
| There have been signs that some of the most difficult issues will be deferred for a final agreement in three months. | There have been signs that some of the most difficult issues will be deferred for a final agreement in three months. |
| But even getting that preliminary accord has been hard. The thorny issues have included disputes over what limits would be placed on the development of new types of centrifuges to enrich uranium and the pace for removing sanctions. | But even getting that preliminary accord has been hard. The thorny issues have included disputes over what limits would be placed on the development of new types of centrifuges to enrich uranium and the pace for removing sanctions. |
| And on Monday the State Department acknowledged that a key question — the disposition of Iran’s large stockpile of nuclear fuel — also remained a subject of debate. | And on Monday the State Department acknowledged that a key question — the disposition of Iran’s large stockpile of nuclear fuel — also remained a subject of debate. |
| “The bottom line is that we don’t have agreement with the Iranians on the stockpile issue,” said Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman. | “The bottom line is that we don’t have agreement with the Iranians on the stockpile issue,” said Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman. |
| But the talks have also been burdened by clashing negotiating strategies. | But the talks have also been burdened by clashing negotiating strategies. |
| The Obama administration wants to nail down specific limits on Iran’s nuclear program as soon as possible so that it can better resist moves in Congress to impose additional sanctions. | The Obama administration wants to nail down specific limits on Iran’s nuclear program as soon as possible so that it can better resist moves in Congress to impose additional sanctions. |
| It also wants any sanctions relief to be gradual in order to ensure that that it does not come before Iran meets its obligations under a nuclear accord. | It also wants any sanctions relief to be gradual in order to ensure that that it does not come before Iran meets its obligations under a nuclear accord. |
| But the Iranians want most of their sanctions relief up front and have been resisted accepting stringent limits before they receive it. | But the Iranians want most of their sanctions relief up front and have been resisted accepting stringent limits before they receive it. |
| Tuesday appeared to begin auspiciously when Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said in Moscow that there was a high chance of an accord and that he was flying to back to Switzerland, after leaving the day before, to rejoin the talks. | Tuesday appeared to begin auspiciously when Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said in Moscow that there was a high chance of an accord and that he was flying to back to Switzerland, after leaving the day before, to rejoin the talks. |
| The odds for a deal “are probably not 100 percent, but you can never be 100 percent certain of anything,” Mr. Lavrov said. “The odds are quite ‘doable’ if none of the parties raise the stakes at the last minute.” | The odds for a deal “are probably not 100 percent, but you can never be 100 percent certain of anything,” Mr. Lavrov said. “The odds are quite ‘doable’ if none of the parties raise the stakes at the last minute.” |
| Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, reinforced the sense of progress when he said Friday morning that the talks had been in something of a crisis but that negotiators seemed to have settled on “a bit of a new approach.” | Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, reinforced the sense of progress when he said Friday morning that the talks had been in something of a crisis but that negotiators seemed to have settled on “a bit of a new approach.” |
| As the day dragged on, however, a European official said that the talks were difficult. By early evening, the Tuesday deadline had been extended. “We’ve made enough progress in the last days to merit staying until Wednesday,” Ms. Harf said. “There are several difficult issues still remaining.” | As the day dragged on, however, a European official said that the talks were difficult. By early evening, the Tuesday deadline had been extended. “We’ve made enough progress in the last days to merit staying until Wednesday,” Ms. Harf said. “There are several difficult issues still remaining.” |
| American officials said that no ultimatums had been issued. But with lawmakers set to return in mid-April after a congressional recess, Mr. Earnest signaled that there was only so long that the White House was prepared to wait. | American officials said that no ultimatums had been issued. But with lawmakers set to return in mid-April after a congressional recess, Mr. Earnest signaled that there was only so long that the White House was prepared to wait. |
| “If we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going,” he said. “If we’re not able to reach a political agreement, then we’re not going to wait all the way until June 30th to walk away.” | “If we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going,” he said. “If we’re not able to reach a political agreement, then we’re not going to wait all the way until June 30th to walk away.” |