News Digest

Talks over Iran’s disputed nuclear plans still have ‘important gaps’, says Kerry

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday that talks on Iran’s disputed nuclear programme have made progress, but there were still “important gaps” to overcome. Kerry (pictured), who is attending a three-day international investor conference in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, said the purpose of the Iran talks was “not just to get any deal, it is to get the right deal.” He said: “We made some progress, but there are still some gaps, important gaps.” The negotiations are entering their final phase, with Kerry due to meet his Iranian counterpart in Switzerland after the Sharm el-Sheikh conference ends.

The deadline is approaching. Time is critical. We continue to remain focussed on reaching the right deal.

US Secretary of State John Kerry

Six world powers - Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany - aim by the end of this month to nail down the outline of a deal that would prevent Tehran from making a nuclear bomb. The parties hope to reach a full accord by July 1. But Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has criticised the negotiations, and is to give a closely watched Iranian New Year’s address on March 21. On Thursday Khamenei said the other side in the talks was “deceitful and stabs in the back,” according to Iranian news agency ISNA. From Sharm el-Sheikh, Kerry will travel to the Swiss city of Lausanne to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

I want to be very clear. Nothing in our deliberations is decided until everything is decided. President (Barack) Obama means it when he says again and again that Iran will not permitted to get a nuclear weapon.

John Kerry