According to a Friday NBC News report (Abdullah), "The sides remain divided over issues that include a U.N. arms embargo on Iran which Western powers want to keep in place, access for inspectors to military sites in Iran and answers from Tehran over past activity suspected of military aims."
Meanwhile, CBS News reports (CBS/AP) Iran's Supreme Leader called for continued struggle against the United States: "Iran's state-run Press TV cited Khamenei as calling the U.S. an 'excellent example of arrogance.' It said Khamenei told university students in Tehran to be 'prepared to continue the struggle against arrogant powers.' Even if Khamenei isn't signaling that the talks have failed, his comments appear to be a blow to U.S. hopes that an agreement will lead to improved bilateral relations that could translate into increased cooperation in a common cause - the fight against Islamic radicals."
And today, the Times of Israel, relaying reports from Iranian news outlet PressTV, reported Zarif rejected closing a deal before Monday. "The marathon nuclear talks underway in Vienna still require 'some more
work," said Zarif. "Sunday evening’s negotiations included a
meeting between Iran’s deputy foreign ministers at the talks, Abbas
Araqchi and Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, and US Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and National Security Council official
Robert Malley . . . . The comments from Zarif echoed an earlier
statement from Western diplomats that the sides would likely sign the
deal Monday, but still had issues to overcome. In Tehran, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday the sides were 'very close.'" The piece continued, quoting one Iranian official, "'we are working hard, but a deal tonight is simply logistically
impossible,' the Iranian official said, noting that the agreement will
run roughly 100 pages."
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