Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers have virtually stalled and a deadline for a final deal may have to be postponed again, Russian news agency Tass quoted a diplomatic source as saying yesterday.
Iran and the powers – the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany – are trying to reach a settlement by June 30 under which Iran would curb its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
The US has said it stands by the end-June deadline for the deal, meant to assuage Western fears that Iran is working to develop a nuclear bomb. But other officials have indicated the date might be missed as negotiations about technical details drag on.
Iran denies any ambition to develop nuclear weapons and says its programme is for other peaceful purposes. The latest round of discussions in Vienna yesterday made no significant progress, the source from one of the missions said, according to Tass.
“The process has virtually stalled, there is risk that deadline will have to be postponed again,” Tass said the source added.
Among the unresolved issues are the pace of easing Western sanctions imposed over the Iranian programme and the monitoring and verification measures to ensure Iran could not pursue a clandestine nuclear weapons programme.
Meanwhile on Thursday Swiss authorities searched a house in Geneva and seized computer material in connection with a possible cyberattack on nuclear negotiations between Iran and major powers in the city.
The latest round of discussions made no significant progress
Austria is also investigating the case, which came to light when Russian computer security company Kaspersky Lab said a computer virus was used to hack into locations including three luxury hotels that had hosted negotiations between Iran and six world powers.
Criminal proceedings have been opened against unknown persons “on suspicion of political espionage”.
In Vienna, an Interior Ministry spokesman said the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism was aware of the information about the suspected cyberattack and was reviewing it.
He declined to give more details about which locations were being scrutinised by the agency.
The Iran nuclear talks have been held in Vienna, Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux and Munich.