Kerry says Iran, world powers closer than ever to historic nuclear deal

The United States and five other major powers are closer than ever to a deal with Iran that would end a 12-year-old standoff over Tehran’s nuclear programme, though more tough negotiations lie ahead, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday. Kerry spoke at the United Nations on the opening day of a month-long conference taking stock of the 1970 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ahead of a meeting in New York with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, their first face-to-face encounter since recent marathon talks in Lausanne, Switzerland.

We are, in fact, closer than ever to the good, comprehensive deal that we have been seeking, and if we can get there, the entire world will be safer.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

Kerry added, however, that “the hard work is far from over and some key issues remain unresolved.” In a tentative deal reached between Iran and the six powers earlier this month in Lausanne, Tehran - which denies seeking nuclear weapons - agreed to curb sensitive nuclear work for at least a decade in exchange for ending sanctions that have crippled its economy. Diplomats need to iron out details about the timing of sanctions relief, the future of Iran’s atomic research and development programme, the exact nature of International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring, and what kind of uranium stockpiles Tehran will be allowed to keep under any final accord.

We consider the U.S. government responsible for fulfilling its international commitments under international laws. No government can evade such commitments because of its domestic issues.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

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