BICOM

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif are meeting in Switzerland in an attempt to bridge gaps over Tehran’s nuclear programme ahead of a key deadline.

US and Iranian officials have been holding discussions in order to meet an end of March cut-off date for the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) and Iran to agree an outline to a deal over Iran’s nuclear capability. The agreement being discussed is thought to be a 10-year accord, during which time Iranian nuclear development would be restricted. However, there appears to be little provision to regulate Tehran’s atomic programme thereafter. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month told US Congress that this aspect of the deal and a breakout time of just one year would help pave the way to Iran’s nuclear armament.

Kerry and Zarif met two weeks ago and indicated that although progress had been made, agreement was still unsure. The two leaders were supposed to meet yesterday in Lausanne but Reuters says they will begin today and are set to last several days.

Speaking to CBS yesterday, Kerry reiterated that the aim of the talks is “not just to get any deal, it is to get the right deal,” and that although “important gaps” remain, “If (Iran’s nuclear programme is) peaceful, let’s get it done. And my hope is that in the next days, that will be possible.” Equally cautiously, Zarif told Iranian Fars news agency: “Several questions need to be discussed, those where we haven’t found a solution yet and also those where we have found solutions but where we need to discuss certain details.”

Reuters says that the P5+1 favour a swift end to United Nations sanctions on Iran if an agreement is reached. However, AP says that Tehran recently added a new demand, requesting that Iran be allowed to keep centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear plant, which is buried deep underground.