Iran, six powers struggle to overcome deadlock in nuclear talks

VIENNA – Iran, the United States and other major powers struggled on Saturday to break a deadlock in nuclear talks that has held up a historic deal that would bring sanctions relief for Tehran in exchange for curbs on its atomic programme.

Tehran and the six powers have given themselves until Monday to reach a nuclear agreement, their third extension in two weeks, as the Iranian delegation accused the West of throwing up new stumbling blocks to a deal.

Among the biggest sticking points at the moment is Iran’s insistence that a United Nations Security Council arms embargo and ban on its ballistic missile programme dating from 2006 be lifted immediately if an agreement is reached.

Russia, which sells weapons to Iran, has been publicly supporting Tehran on this issue.

However, a senior Western diplomat said earlier in the week the six powers – the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China – remained united over the issue, despite Moscow’s and Beijing’s well-known dislike of the embargos.

Western powers have long suspected Iran of aiming to build nuclear bombs and using its civilian atomic energy programme to cloak its intention — an accusation Iran strongly denies.

Other problematic issues in the talks are access for inspectors to military sites in Iran, answers from Tehran over past activity and the overall speed of sanctions relief.

“Still have difficult issues to resolve,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tweeted on Saturday after meeting Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.