LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program have been extended until Wednesday, the State Department said Tuesday.
Iran nuke talks to continue tomorrow. "We've made enough progress in the last days to merit staying until Wednesday," says @marieharf
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 31, 2015
"There are several difficult issues still remaining," says Harf in announcing extension of tonight's Iran nuke talks deadline.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 31, 2015
A few hours before the self-imposed midnight Tuesday deadline ran out, State Department acting Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters, ”We’ve made enough progress in the last days to merit staying until Wednesday. There are several difficult issues still remaining.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is returning to Lausanne from Russia, indicating an end to the talks is near. He left Lausanne on Monday but had said he would return if a deal were imminent.
Outstanding issues include a how much research and development Iran would be able to conduct in the last five years of the agreement, when the country would be allowed to enrich its uranium to higher levels, and how to expose of Iran’s existing nuclear stockpile. (read more)