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| Iran nuclear talks set for long night of wrangling in Switzerland | Iran nuclear talks set for long night of wrangling in Switzerland |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nuclear negotiations with Iran were set to go on late into Tuesday night in Switzerland after foreign ministers struggled to reach a partial agreement before a midnight deadline. | Nuclear negotiations with Iran were set to go on late into Tuesday night in Switzerland after foreign ministers struggled to reach a partial agreement before a midnight deadline. |
| The convention centre at the Swiss National Technical Institute in Lausanne was prepared over the course of the day for an announcement expected to sketch the outline of a comprehensive deal. But the ministers remained locked in disagreement as darkness fell. | The convention centre at the Swiss National Technical Institute in Lausanne was prepared over the course of the day for an announcement expected to sketch the outline of a comprehensive deal. But the ministers remained locked in disagreement as darkness fell. |
| “Our experts and diplomats are working very hard around the clock to see if we can get to an agreement. Our team is evaluating where we are throughout the day and making decisions about the best path forward,” said a senior US state department official. “We will of course keep working if we are continuing to make progress, including into tomorrow, it it’s useful to do so.” | “Our experts and diplomats are working very hard around the clock to see if we can get to an agreement. Our team is evaluating where we are throughout the day and making decisions about the best path forward,” said a senior US state department official. “We will of course keep working if we are continuing to make progress, including into tomorrow, it it’s useful to do so.” |
| German diplomats described the mood as “alternating”, with the negotiations breaking frequently for consultations in smaller groups. One said it was “still too early to think about stopping the clock, but [it] maybe after all necessary.” | German diplomats described the mood as “alternating”, with the negotiations breaking frequently for consultations in smaller groups. One said it was “still too early to think about stopping the clock, but [it] maybe after all necessary.” |
| Stopping the clock implies taking a break and going beyond deadline. Some diplomats said that would not necessarily be a bad sign, and that if there was meaningful progress, it might make sense to break the talk to give experts an opportunity to draft mutually acceptable language. | Stopping the clock implies taking a break and going beyond deadline. Some diplomats said that would not necessarily be a bad sign, and that if there was meaningful progress, it might make sense to break the talk to give experts an opportunity to draft mutually acceptable language. |
| Diplomats at the talks spoke of some progress early in the day which later stalled amid very tough bargaining on fundamental issues. | Diplomats at the talks spoke of some progress early in the day which later stalled amid very tough bargaining on fundamental issues. |
| There was also evidence of dissent within the six-nation group negotiating with Iran. When the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, returned to the Swiss lakeside town after a 24-hour trip to Moscow, he is said to have started vocally questioning previously agreed positions. | There was also evidence of dissent within the six-nation group negotiating with Iran. When the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, returned to the Swiss lakeside town after a 24-hour trip to Moscow, he is said to have started vocally questioning previously agreed positions. |
| Before leaving Moscow, Lavrov said that all UN sanctions should cease after a final deal is signed in June, in an apparent break from the common negotiating position that the sanctions would only be lifted in stages, in response to concrete steps by Iran to dismantle some of its nuclear infrastructure. | Before leaving Moscow, Lavrov said that all UN sanctions should cease after a final deal is signed in June, in an apparent break from the common negotiating position that the sanctions would only be lifted in stages, in response to concrete steps by Iran to dismantle some of its nuclear infrastructure. |
| “There are different options,” the Russian foreign minister said. “A full cancellation, or an initial suspension followed by abolition in the legal sense ... But in practice this must mean that the sanctions must cease to work.” | “There are different options,” the Russian foreign minister said. “A full cancellation, or an initial suspension followed by abolition in the legal sense ... But in practice this must mean that the sanctions must cease to work.” |
| Speaking to the press on Tuesday evening, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Hamid Baeidinejad, referred to the differences within the six-nation group, suggesting they needed “time for consultations and coordination”. | Speaking to the press on Tuesday evening, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Hamid Baeidinejad, referred to the differences within the six-nation group, suggesting they needed “time for consultations and coordination”. |
| “There are issues related to sanctions which are under consideration. This isn’t the only issue,” Baeidinejad said, adding that the Iranians were ready to talk through the night. | “There are issues related to sanctions which are under consideration. This isn’t the only issue,” Baeidinejad said, adding that the Iranians were ready to talk through the night. |
| The fact is, if we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going | The fact is, if we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going |
| After 12 hours of intensive talks beginning at 7am, the foreign ministers, led by the US secretary of state, John Kerry, faced the challenge of fatigue. That was even more stark for the scientific and legal experts in working groups in Lausanne, some of whom had only one hour’s sleep on Monday night. | After 12 hours of intensive talks beginning at 7am, the foreign ministers, led by the US secretary of state, John Kerry, faced the challenge of fatigue. That was even more stark for the scientific and legal experts in working groups in Lausanne, some of whom had only one hour’s sleep on Monday night. |
| In the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest would not say how long the administration was willing to extend the end of March deadline for the political framework. | In the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest would not say how long the administration was willing to extend the end of March deadline for the political framework. |
| “I think it’s fair to say that we’ve reached our limit, right now, in as far as the conversations have been going on for more than a year,” Earnest said. “We’ve established this deadline to try to reach a political agreement. | “I think it’s fair to say that we’ve reached our limit, right now, in as far as the conversations have been going on for more than a year,” Earnest said. “We’ve established this deadline to try to reach a political agreement. |
| “It also doesn’t make sense if we are getting serious engagement from the other side to just abruptly end the talks based on this deadline, because the fact is, if we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going.” | “It also doesn’t make sense if we are getting serious engagement from the other side to just abruptly end the talks based on this deadline, because the fact is, if we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going.” |
| Even before any agreement was declared, it was denounced by the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. | Even before any agreement was declared, it was denounced by the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. |
| “It appears the deal being formed in Lausanne will leave Iran with underground facilities, the nuclear reactor in Arak and with advanced centrifuges,” Netanyahu said at a parliamentary ceremony. | “It appears the deal being formed in Lausanne will leave Iran with underground facilities, the nuclear reactor in Arak and with advanced centrifuges,” Netanyahu said at a parliamentary ceremony. |
| “The breakout time for Iran to obtain fissile material for nuclear bombs will not take years as was said at the beginning. In our estimation it will be reduced to under a year and perhaps far less than that.” | “The breakout time for Iran to obtain fissile material for nuclear bombs will not take years as was said at the beginning. In our estimation it will be reduced to under a year and perhaps far less than that.” |
| Late on Tuesday evening, with few signs of progress, the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, left to catch a flight from Geneva back to Beijing. | Late on Tuesday evening, with few signs of progress, the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, left to catch a flight from Geneva back to Beijing. |
| European diplomats said that the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, and his Germany counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, would leave early on Wednesday morning, as western powers stepped up pressure on the Iranian delegation to move their position. |