Iran, world powers close to historic nuclear deal but sticky issues remain

After more than two weeks of marathon negotiations, Iran and six world powers appeared close to a historic nuclear deal Sunday that would bring sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Tehran's atomic program.

Two diplomats told the Associated Press news agency that a provisional agreement may be reached by the end of the day, with details of the deal potentially being announced as early as Monday. But they cautioned that final details of the pact were still being worked out and a formal agreement still awaits a review from the capitals of the seven nations at the talks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also suggested that some difficult issues remained on the 16th day of ministerial negotiations between Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

"I think we're getting to some real decisions," Kerry told reporters in the Austrian capital. "So I will say, because we have a few tough things to do, I remain hopeful. Hopeful."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani cautioned that further measures still needed to be resolved before a nuclear deal could be reached, the ISNA news agency reported. 

"It might seem we have reached the top of the mountain. But no, there are still steps needed to be taken," the agency quoted him as saying on Sunday. "Even if we fail ... we have performed our duty." 

In a sign that something might be in the works by the end of Sunday, both Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi were also due to join the talks.

French Foreign Minister Laurent said he hoped the high-stakes negotiations were finally drawing to a close.

"I hope, I hope, that we are finally entering the final phase of this marathon negotiation," Laurent Fabius told reporters after returning from an emergency cabinet meeting on the Greek crisis in Paris.

"I believe it," he added. "France's position has been one of constructive firmness and I hope it will allow is to reach the end now, quickly, for a satisfying result."

A senior Iranian official said an agreement was close.

"The deal is within reach today," a senior Iranian official told Reuters. "But some issues remain that need to be resolved by foreign ministers."

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

Among the biggest sticking points this week has been Iran's insistence that a United Nations Security Council arms embargo and ban on its ballistic missile program dating from 2006 be lifted immediately if an agreement is reached.

Russia, which sells weapons to Iran, has publicly supported Tehran on the issue.

However, a senior Western diplomat said earlier in the week the six powers remained united, 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 program to cloak its intention — an accusation Iran strongly denies.

The goal of the deal is to increase the time it would take for Iran to produce enough enriched uranium fuel for a single weapon to at least one year from current estimates of 2-3 months — the "breakout" time.

If there is a deal, the limits on Iran's enrichment program are expected to be in place for at least a decade.

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.

Kerry and Zarif have met nearly every day since Kerry arrived in Vienna more than two weeks ago for what was intended to be the final phase in a negotiation process that began with an interim nuclear deal clinched in November 2013.

Experts and senior officials from Iran, the United States and the other powers have been meeting non-stop for months to finalize an accord that will include five technical annexes and have at least 80 pages.

An agreement would be the biggest step toward rapprochement between Iran and the West since the 1979 revolution, although both sides are likely to remain wary of each other even if a deal is concluded.

In separate comments, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani suggested the talks could go either way while Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Tehran would continue its fight against "global arrogance" — referring to the United States.

According to his website, Khamenei was asked by a student what would happen to the "fight against global arrogance" after the completion of the nuclear talks and the supreme leader replied that fight must go on.

But Khamenei did not set any new "red lines" for his negotiators as he did in a tough speech two weeks ago.

Wire services