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| Iran nuclear talks marathon to continue in morning after deadline passes | Iran nuclear talks marathon to continue in morning after deadline passes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers went past a deadline on Tuesday night, but foreign ministers in Lausanne opted to keep negotiating in the morning in the belief that they were within reach of an agreement. | Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers went past a deadline on Tuesday night, but foreign ministers in Lausanne opted to keep negotiating in the morning in the belief that they were within reach of an agreement. |
| After a marathon 17-hour day of talks, the ministers adjourned just after the midnight deadline and agreed to reconvene at 8am. | After a marathon 17-hour day of talks, the ministers adjourned just after the midnight deadline and agreed to reconvene at 8am. |
| Speaking to reporters after midnight, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said: “It has been a very long day for all delegations. We have accomplished quite a bit but people needed to get some rest and start over early in the morning. | |
| “I hope that we can finalise the work on Wednesday and hopefully start the process of drafting tomorrow.” | |
| Meanwhile scientific and legal experts stayed up longer into the night for the second night running, and were expected to start again at 6am in the attempt to draft text acceptable to Iran and the six-nation group, comprising the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China. | Meanwhile scientific and legal experts stayed up longer into the night for the second night running, and were expected to start again at 6am in the attempt to draft text acceptable to Iran and the six-nation group, comprising the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China. |
| Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov earlier claimed there was agreement on all sides, but was quickly contradicted by a western diplomat. | |
| The White House said the president, Barack Obama, was holding a video teleconference with secretary of state John Kerry, who is at the talks, and members of his national security team, to discuss the progress made. | |
| At stake is a preliminary accord, which would lay out the framework of a comprehensive agreement, recording the main points of compromise by both sides. If it is successful it would be followed by three months of talks to add detail and technical annexes. | At stake is a preliminary accord, which would lay out the framework of a comprehensive agreement, recording the main points of compromise by both sides. If it is successful it would be followed by three months of talks to add detail and technical annexes. |
| The full agreement, due to be completed at the end of June, would impose strict limits on the Iranian nuclear programme, so that the international community could be confident it would have a year’s warning if the government in Tehran decided to build a bomb. | The full agreement, due to be completed at the end of June, would impose strict limits on the Iranian nuclear programme, so that the international community could be confident it would have a year’s warning if the government in Tehran decided to build a bomb. |
| A German diplomatic source said the mood as the day wore on was “alternating” between hope and frustation, with negotiations frequently broken off for consultations in smaller groups. | A German diplomatic source said the mood as the day wore on was “alternating” between hope and frustation, with negotiations frequently broken off for consultations in smaller groups. |
| The end of March cutoff date was the third deadline to come and go in the past eight months. This time however there is new urgency because the US Congress is threatening to pass new legislation when it returns from recess in mid-April which could lead to the rejection of an agreement and new sanctions on Iran. | The end of March cutoff date was the third deadline to come and go in the past eight months. This time however there is new urgency because the US Congress is threatening to pass new legislation when it returns from recess in mid-April which could lead to the rejection of an agreement and new sanctions on Iran. |
| “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 on Tuesday. “We will of course keep working if we are continuing to make progress, including into tomorrow, if 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 on Tuesday. “We will of course keep working if we are continuing to make progress, including into tomorrow, if it’s useful to do so.” |
| 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. |
| 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 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.” |
| Earlier on Tuesday evening when speaking to the press, , the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Hamid Baeidinejad, had referred to the differences within the six-nation group, suggesting they needed “time for consultations and coordination”. | Earlier on Tuesday evening when speaking to the press, , the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Hamid Baeidinejad, had 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 |
| 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 has been declared, it was denounced by the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. | Even before any agreement has been 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. | 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. |