As fellow American officials met with allied and Iranian counterparts in Geneva, Switzerland, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that all sides are closer than they've been in a long time on a nuclear deal. But they stressed it hasn't been reached yet.
"It's important to exhaust the remedies and possibilities of diplomacy," Kerry said from Washington. "We have the best chance we've had in a decade, we believe, to halt progress and roll back Iran's program."
The prospect of an agreement that could roll back some punitive measures against Iran in exchange for measures assuring that the Middle Eastern country isn't developing a nuclear weapon has met significant resistance. Some in Congress have voiced opposition, saying leaders in Tehran cannot be trusted. It's a sentiment echoed by Israel leaders.
Kerry insisted the continuing talks represent "the initial stage of determining whether or not there's a first step that can be taken."
Whether the ultimate result is Iran having access to peaceful nuclear energy is a long ways off; for now, Kerry claimed that a prospective deal wouldn't give that country leeway to move toward developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran nuclear talks: 11 things you need to know"We will not allow this agreement should it be reached-- and I say, should it be reached -- to buy time or to allow for the acceptance of an agreement that does not properly address our core, fundamental concerns,"he said.
Kerry spoke as negotiators met in Geneva, where the major players engaged in three days of intense talks earlier this month. Those discussions concluded without the agreement some had anticipated, albeit with optimism that it could come soon.
"I think we are all on the same wavelength, and that's important," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said then. "And that gives us the impetus to go forward."
Like those discussions, the current talks involve delegations from Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N.
Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Great Britain and France -- plus Germany in what is known as the P5+1.
"The atmosphere is positive," one senior U.S. official said, adding that the Western powers expressed condolences for a bombing that happened near the Iranian Embassy in Beirut...
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