Kerry says politics won't distract from talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry says external factors or politics will not distract from the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Reuters reports.

Any deal will have the necessary access and verification measures and will increase the “breakout” time needed for Iran to build a bomb, he says, according to the report.

The US’s top diplomat also stresses that significant gaps remain and challenges lay ahead in the run-up to a political framework by the March 24 target date.

Kerry’s comment comes after he directly refuted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that he presented a “practical alternative” to the current talks during his Congress speech yesterday.