Top diplomats in homestretch for Iran nuclear deal

GENEVA: US Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterparts from other world powers gathered in Geneva on Saturday hoping to put the finishing touches to a landmark nuclear deal with Iran.

It was their second attempt in the same Swiss city in two weeks to nail down a deal curbing Iran’s disputed nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis election in June has created big hopes that the standoff over Iran’s nuclear work can be resolved after a decade of failed diplomatic initiatives and rising tensions.

The risks posed by failure are high: further nuclear expansion by Iran, more painful sanctions and the possibility of Israeli and even US military action.

Kerry decided to go back "in light of the progress being made" after three days of negotiations in Geneva and "with the hope that an agreement will be reached", State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said Friday.

Due to join Kerry in Switzerland were Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as well as Britain’s and Germany’s envoys William Hague and Guido Westerwelle. Frances Laurent Fabius arrived early Saturday and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov on Friday.

Representing Iran was Foreign Minister Mohammad Jarad Zarif. The talks are chaired by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who held talks with different parties until the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Chinese foreign ministry said the talks were "entering their final phase." A French diplomatic source said: "Its the homestretch but preceding negotiations have taught us prudence.

"Lavrov said that "for the first time in many years" there was a "real opportunity" for a deal, a Russian statement said after he and Zarif met late Friday.

"I want an accord, but a solid accord," Fabius, who secured a hardening of the P5+1s draft proposal at the last talks, told reporters early on Saturday morning.

The talks involve the permanent five UN Security Council members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- plus Germany. Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful but many in the international community suspect it is aimed at acquiring nuclear weapons.

"Not all the questions are entirely dealt with. We hope to get a result during negotiations this morning," Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an informed source as saying.

The six powers want Iran to stop spinning, for six months initially, some of its many thousand centrifuges enriching uranium to levels close to weapons-grade.

They also want Tehran to stop construction work at Arak and to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency more intrusive inspection rights.

In return they are offering Iran minor and reversible relief from painful sanctions including unlocking several billion dollars in oil revenues and easing some trade restrictions.