Reuters
Washington
Iran’s foreign minister said in a US television interview yesterday that he believed “we are very close”, to a nuclear arms deal with Western powers, but cautioned there were details that needed to be worked out.
Mohamed Javad Zarif told NBC News that Iran was prepared to work “round the clock” to reach an agreement.
“We believe that we are very close, very close,” although adding: “We could be very far.
“We are very close if the political decision can be made to get to yes, as President Obama said.”
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said he and Zarif have made some progress in their negotiations in the Swiss lakeside town of Montreux and will resume them on March 15. Kerry aides, however, said many obstacles remained before a late March deadline for an outline accord between Iran and six world powers.
Simply demanding Iran’s capitulation is no way to get a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic, Kerry said yesterday as he wrapped up three days of talks with a veiled dig at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
