Iran nuclear deal deadline extended to end of June 2015

World powers have failed to meet today's deadline for an agreement over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, resulting in talks being extended to the end of June next year. 

 

Iran met with the UK, US, China, Russia, Germany and France in Vienna over the weekend to try to reach a compromise. The other participants want Iran to curb its uranium enrichment program in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions against the country.

 

UK foreign secretary Philip Hammond said that progress had been made, but not enough for a firm plan to be decided upon. The six world powers will therefore resume talks in December, and they will continue for another seven months. 

 

Iran has been accused of enriching uranium for use in nuclear weapons, but it has continually denied this, saying that it is for peaceful energy purposes inside the country. 

 

Until Iran agrees to reduce the level of enrichment, its assets have been frozen – it is currently able to access $700m (£450m) each month. 

 

This is not the first time talks over the matter have been extended – they were originally due for completion in July this year, but had to be extended to November after no agreement was reached. 

 

However, this time Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is optimistic that the “basic principles” of the nuclear deal would be agreed within the next three to four months.