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Roundup: Iran nuclear deal talks extended till July 7

Xinhua, July 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

The most recent round of nuclear talks between Iran and world powers over Iran's long- disputed nuclear program is to be extended to July 7, said a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State on Tuesday.

"P5+1 and Iran have decided to extend JPOA (Iran Joint Plan of Action) measures until July 7 to allow more time for negotiations to reach a long-term solution," Marie Harf, senior adviser for strategic communications at the U.S. State Department said.

Under the interim deal agreed upon in Geneva in November 2013, Iran would suspend some disputed nuclear activities in exchange for limited sanction relief from Western states, buying time to reach a comprehensive deal to end the long-term stand off.

"To allow more time for the ongoing negotiations to reach a long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," the European Council has prolonged until July 7, 2015 the suspension of EU restrictive measures, said a European Council statement on Tuesday.

A source said the intensive talks resumed after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif returned from Tehran, but could not confirm if progress had been made until now.

"I will walk away from the negotiations if, in fact, it's a bad deal," U.S. President Barack Obama said shortly after the announcement of the extension.

"If we can't provide assurances that the pathways for Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon are closed ... then we're not going to get a deal and we've been very clear to the Iranian government about that," he said.

It seems there are still some tough issues to resolve like the clarification and monitoring Iran's nuclear program and the timing and the phase of sanction relief.

There is limited time to resolve all the issues, as the deadline to pass the signed deal in U.S. Congress would be on July 9.

Iran's nuclear program has long been a subject of concern for Western powers, who suspect that it's geared toward developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists on its right to develop a civilian nuclear program. Endit