Nuclear talks enter ‘critical stage’

Talks between Iran and major powers enter a “critical phase” with tensions rising days from a deadline to nail down a deal thwarting any Iranian nuclear arms drive. EU foreign policy head Federica Mogherini says as she joined the meeting in Vienna with US Secretary of State John Kerry and their Iranian counterpart that “political will” was still needed.

“It is going to be tough, it has always been tough but not impossible… It is a matter of political will. The reasons for having this agreement done are still there, probably now more than ever,” Mogherini tells reporters.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrived on Saturday. British and German counterparts Philip Hammond and Frank-Walter Steinmeier were expected Sunday. China and Russia were represented at deputy foreign minister level.

“Obviously we are at a critical stage now,” a Western diplomat says. “It’s become more tense in the final days. But that was always likely to happen.”

— AFP