Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


              Kerry, Zarif Holding Nuclear Talks as Deadline Nears

   by VOA News

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister
   Mohammad Javad Zarif are meeting again Monday in Switzerland as they
   continue to push for a breakthrough in the long-running negotiations on
   Iran's nuclear program.

   Kerry and Zarif join diplomats and experts from the two sides who
   opened the latest round of talks on Sunday. They have about two weeks
   left before their self-imposed deadline to come up with a framework of
   an agreement to ensure Iran's nuclear program is peaceful in exchange
   for lifting of economic sanctions.

   Kerry said Sunday that the remaining obstacles are largely political
   rather than technical.

   "There are clearly some differences that still rest on a technical
   judgment," Kerry told CBS television's Face the Nation program. "But by
   and large, most of the differences now are political decisions... to
   fulfill the promise of proving to the world that a program is
   peaceful."

   Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell issued a
   statement against the talks, telling CNN that President Barack Obama
   was on the cusp of a "very bad deal" with Tehran.

   Kerry said he is unsure if an open letter sent by McConnell and 46
   other Republican U.S. senators last week to Iranian leaders had
   jeopardized the future of the ongoing negotiations. The group warned
   the next U.S. president could revoke a deal at any time; a statement
   the secretary of state challenged.

   Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful, civilian
   purposes such as medical research and generating power.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-zarif-holding-nuclear-talks-as-
   deadline-nears/2681443.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-zarif-holding-nuclear-talks-as-deadline-nears/2681443.html