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| Iran nuclear: US 'will not be rushed over deal' - Kerry | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that America and other major powers are not in a rush to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran. | |
| But he warned that the so-called P5+1 (US, UN, Russia, UK, France and Germany) would not wait indefinitely. | |
| The pace at which sanctions are lifted is a major issue at talks in Vienna. | |
| Pressure is mounting on world powers and Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear programme and avoid the issue becoming bogged down in the US Congress. | Pressure is mounting on world powers and Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear programme and avoid the issue becoming bogged down in the US Congress. |
| "We're here because we believe we are making real progress," Mr Kerry told reporters in the Austrian capital, Vienna. | |
| But he cautioned that "we are not going to sit at the negotiating table forever" and that he was prepared to "call an end" to nuclear talks with Iran if "tough decisions" are not made. | |
| "We also recognise that we shouldn't get up and leave simply because the clock strikes midnight. And I emphasise, given that the work here is incredibly technical and that the stakes are very very high, we will not rush and we will not be rushed." | |
| Mr Kerry said that any deal had to withstand the test of time. | |
| "It is not a test of a matter of days or weeks or months, it's a test for decades, that's our goal here." | |
| The White House for its part has said that it is unlikely that the talks will go on for many more weeks. A 30 June deadline imposed by both sides has already been missed. | |
| If a final agreement is not reached by Friday, Congress will double the time it takes to review an accord. That will delay the lifting of US sanctions. | If a final agreement is not reached by Friday, Congress will double the time it takes to review an accord. That will delay the lifting of US sanctions. |
| The P5+1 and Iran are still believed to differ in three key areas - international inspections of Iran's non-nuclear sites, sanctions, and how Iran's compliance will be verified. | |
| Iran also wants a UN Security Council arms embargo to be scrapped - something the US has ruled out. | Iran also wants a UN Security Council arms embargo to be scrapped - something the US has ruled out. |
| World powers want to be satisfied that Iran is neither trying to develop a nuclear bomb, nor has the capability to do so in under at least a year. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes. | World powers want to be satisfied that Iran is neither trying to develop a nuclear bomb, nor has the capability to do so in under at least a year. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes. |
| Presidential veto | Presidential veto |
| If a deal is reached in Vienna, under US law Congress has 30 days in which to decide whether to accept or reject it, so long as it receives the text of the agreement by midnight Washington DC time (04:00 GMT on Friday). | If a deal is reached in Vienna, under US law Congress has 30 days in which to decide whether to accept or reject it, so long as it receives the text of the agreement by midnight Washington DC time (04:00 GMT on Friday). |
| Failing that, the review period will be extended to 60 days. During this time, US sanctions will remain in place. | Failing that, the review period will be extended to 60 days. During this time, US sanctions will remain in place. |
| If Congress rejects the deal, President Barack Obama can use his power of veto, but Congress can still overturn this. An extended review could help opposition to a deal build in the Republican-controlled legislature. | If Congress rejects the deal, President Barack Obama can use his power of veto, but Congress can still overturn this. An extended review could help opposition to a deal build in the Republican-controlled legislature. |
| Under an interim accord, Iran and the P5+1 agreed that crippling sanctions would be eased in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme. | Under an interim accord, Iran and the P5+1 agreed that crippling sanctions would be eased in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Both sides at the Vienna talks said they hoped for progress on Thursday, though there has been little concrete sign of a breakthrough. | Both sides at the Vienna talks said they hoped for progress on Thursday, though there has been little concrete sign of a breakthrough. |