Iran N-deal announcement planned today: Diplomats

Negotiators at the Iran nuclear talks plan to announce on Monday that they have reached a historic deal capping nearly a decade of diplomacy that would curb the country’s atomic program in return for sanctions relief, two diplomats said today.The envoys said a provisional agreement may be reached even earlier by today. But they cautioned that final details of the pact were still being worked out and a formal agreement must still be reviewed by leaders in the capitals of Iran and the six world powers at the talks.

Senior US and Iranian officials suggested, however, there was not enough time to reach a provisional deal by the end of the day. All of the officials, who are at the talks, demanded anonymity because they weren’t authorised to discuss the negotiations publicly. “We are working hard, but a deal tonight is simply logistically impossible,” the Iranian official told AP, noting that the agreement will run roughly 100 pages.

The senior US official declined to speculate as to the timing of any agreement or announcement, saying “major issues remain to be resolved.”Despite the caution, the negotiators appeared to be on the cusp of an agreement. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who on Thursday had threatened to walk away from the negotiations, said today that “a few tough things” remain in the way but added “we’re getting to some real decisions.”

En route to Mass at Vienna’s gothic St Stephens Cathedral, Kerry said twice he was “hopeful” after a “very good meeting” on Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had Muslim services on Friday.French Foreign Minister laurent Fabius also was cautiously optimistic, telling reporters on Sunday, “I hope that we are finally entering the last phase of this negotiation.”