Deadline passes, but Iran nuclear talks go on

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers went down to the deadline today. But with hours to go, the State Department announced that the meetings in Lausanne, Switzerland, are being extended at least a day.

We get more from Indira Lakshmanan of Bloomberg News, who's in Lausanne.

Indira, hello again.

So it's midnight there. This was when it was all supposed to be wrapped up. What's going on?

INDIRA LAKSHMANAN, Bloomberg News:

Yes, I was supposed to be on a plane by now, but obviously you're seeing me here, so apparently we're not.

We're just a few minutes past the self-imposed deadline that the two sides set for themselves last November, when they missed their last deadline, so the idea was they were meant to come to this framework understanding tonight.

Now, clearly, the two sides have made enough progress that they feel it's worth going into the next day, as they have told us. But not surprisingly at a time like this, you have got public posturing and messaging through the media. We had one delegation tell us that Iran had been given a make-or-break dawn deadline, that it was now or never.

Then the U.S. denied that. Iran denied that. So, you know, each of these different six powers in Iran are trying to send their own messages to try to get something done that they can go home and be happy with.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Well, is it possible to sort out among all these stories that are being put out there to the press which ones are reliable?

(LAUGHTER)

INDIRA LAKSHMANAN:

I think we're not going to know until we know, until they give us a joint declaration or until they declare failure.

But what we had been hearing earlier in the day was that it was very likely that the two sides were going to come up with major points of agreement, not on everything. That's for sure. They still had problems over Iran's enrichment capacity, over research and development, and over sanctions relief, and what the — what shape that was going to take.

But they were going to try to come up with major points of agreement, come up with a joint declaration and then have bullet points. Then that would still give them three more months to come up with a detailed technical accord. But, you know, I think, at this point, they're still trying to get there.

They need to be able to have agreed on enough of the main points that Secretary Kerry can take it home to Washington, sell it on Capitol Hill, and Minister Zarif of Iran can take it home and sell it to the supreme leader and President Rouhani.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Well, Indira, we have been told the Iranians all along have been more focused on a June deadline, when they wanted to get this resolved. Is that having an impact on what's taken place?

INDIRA LAKSHMANAN:

It may be. The supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has said that he doesn't want a two-step final deal. He wants one step.

And the Iranians, we know, behind closed doors, have been pressuring the Americans, saying, we want a long, written accord, the final one in June. We don't want to have to write something out now. But I don't really think that's what's holding it up at this point. I think what's holding it up is that there are some really difficult issues. And that's why there has been a 12-year standoff between the international community and Iran over this disputed nuclear program, which Iran denies is seeking military applications, but the world believes that they have sought nuclear weapons.

So these are really tough issues to resolve. And I think that's why we're seeing them going into the early hours of the morning, because they haven't come to an agreement yet simply that they can take away and both be happy with.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Indira Lakshmanan, and it sounds like you're going to have a long night. Thank you.