Time to make tough decisions on n-deal: Kerry

Rouhani says there was "nothing that cannot be resolved" between the parties, who seek a deal by the end of June

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday talks with Iran had made genuine progress and the time had come to make hard decisions in reaching a deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted by state news agency IRNA as saying there was “nothing that cannot be resolved” between the parties, who seek a deal by the end of June.

“In this round of talks, shared points of view emerged in some of the areas where there had been a difference of opinion, which can be a foundation for a final agreement,” Mr. Rouhani said.

Speaking after week-long negotiations with Iran in the Swiss city of Lausanne, Mr. Kerry said he would meet European counterparts in London to try to resolve remaining sticking points. He said talks will resume next week to see whether a deal was possible. “We are not rushing ... but we recognise that fundamental decisions have to be made now and they don’t get any easier as time goes by,” Mr. Kerry said. “It is time to make hard decisions.

“We have not yet reached the finish line but make no mistake we have the opportunity to try to get this right,” Mr. Kerry said. “It is a matter of political will and tough decision making.

Mr. Kerry said the P5+1 group –— the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — would coordinate to reach an understanding on the major issues. As talks between Kerry and his Iranian counterpart broke on Friday after a week of negotiations, the sides appeared deadlocked over sensitive atomic research and lifting of sanctions.

Key issues in Iran nuclear talks with world powers

>BREAK-OUT TIME

The goal of the negotiations is an arrangement whereby Iran would need at least one year to produce enough fissile material -- high enriched uranium or plutonium -- for a single atomic weapon, should Tehran choose to produce one. That is known as the “break-out” time.

DURATION OF DEAL U.S. President Barack Obama has said that Iran will need to accept limits on its nuclear programme for at least 10 years. Recently Iran had wanted eight years and the U.S. 20 years. They have compromised at 10 years.

URANIUM ENRICHMENT

Originally Iran wanted to maintain all of its uranium enrichment centrifuges, machines that purify uranium for use as fuel in power plants or, if very highly enriched, in weapons. That was around 10,000 operational out of nearly 20,000. The U.S. and others wanted to reduce that number to several hundred. Now, Iran wants to keep around 9,000 while western official are talking 6,000.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Iran’s desire to pursue > research and development into advanced centrifuges is one of the biggest sticking points in the talks. Western powers are extremely uncomfortable with allowing Tehran to continue developing more efficient centrifuges that would shorten the break-out time.

PLUTONIUM

Western powers had originally wanted Iran to dismantle a heavy-water reactor at Arak that could yield significant quantities of plutonium. Tehran refused to do so but has agreed to the idea of converting or operating it in a way that ensures the amount of plutonium it could yield would be insignificant. Iran has also agreed not to pursue technology for extracting plutonium from spent fuel.

FORDOW An underground enrichment plant that Iranian officials say they have agreed to convert into an R&D plant. Western officials would like this site converted into something that has nothing to do with enrichment.

STOCKPILES

Iran's uranium stockpiles are an important issue because the less uranium Tehran has on hand, the more centrifuges it can maintain. Originally, Iran wanted to enrich 2.5 tonnes per year, but could settle at half a tonne. Western officials say that allowing Iran to produce more than 250 kg a year would be problematic. The remainder would be relocated to Russia or another country

SANCTIONS The speed of lifting sanctions is another major sticking point in the talks. Iran wants all U.S, European Union and United Nations sanctions lifted immediately. U.S. says sanctions should be lifted gradually. This has become a sensitive issue in the U.S., as Republicans controlling both houses of Congress have threatened to impose new U.S. sanctions on Tehran against the advice of Obama. Obama has said he would veto any new sanctions steps for fear they would torpedo the delicate negotiations. Obama can use executive authority to suspend sanctions but many U.S. measures can only be terminated by Congress.

POSSIBLE MILITARY DIMENSIONS

The Western powers say it is vital that Iran fully cooperate with a U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation into past nuclear activities that could be related to making weapons. Iran has said these “possible military dimensions” (PMD) are an issue it will not budge on.

MONITORING Any deal would require a vigorous monitoring framework to ensure Iranian compliance. Iranian officials say they reject Western demands unlimited inspection powers for the IAEA.