Iran nuke talks set to bust another deadline

Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program appear set to burst through yet another deadline amid persistent uncertainty and vague pronouncements from participants.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will deliver a statement on the status of the talks, but there is no indication he will announce either success or failure.

After a day of mixed public comments and contradictory reports, diplomats say that a breakthrough is not imminent and that the talks will bleed into at least Friday. That will break a midnight Thursday deadline in Washington for the Obama administration to submit an agreement to Congress if it wants to avoid an extended legislative review.

The diplomats speak on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the ongoing negotiations. If the administration misses the Thursday target, the congressional review period will double from 30 to 60 days, possibly delaying the sanctions relief that the US would have to give to Iran under the terms of an agreement.

The current round of talks has already been extended twice since it started on June 27, as has an interim nuclear accord with Iran that these negotiations are meant to finalize. The interim deal was due to expire on June 30, then July 7 and then Friday. It would have to be renewed a third time if the talks go beyond Friday.

— AP