GENEVA — With only weeks left to the deadline to reach a first-stage nuclear deal with Iran, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that “significant gaps” remained and warned that America was ready to walk away from the talks if Tehran doesn’t agree to terms demonstrating that it doesn’t want atomic arms.
World powers and Iran have set an end of March deadline for a framework agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear programs in exchange for sanctions relief for the Islamic Republic, with four further months for the technical work to be ironed out. The talks have missed two previous deadlines, and President Barack Obama has said a further extension would make little sense without a basis for continuing discussions.
Kerry said there was no doubt Obama was serious.
If the talks fail, Obama may be unable to continue holding off Congress from passing new sanctions against Iran. That, in turn, could scuttle any further diplomatic solution to U.S.-led attempts to hobble Tehran’s ability to make nuclear weapons.
Skepticism about the negotiations already is strong among congressional hardliners, Washington’s closest Arab allies and Israel.
