Iran nuclear deal deadline extended, say diplomats

‘Negotiations on the extension of the Geneva (interim) deal have been successful. The details of the agreement will be announced soon,’ the Iranian source said. The Western diplomat confirmed the agreement, saying that the parties have given themselves until November 24 to strike what would be an historic deal. ‘It’s until November 24,’ the diplomat said. 

Iran and the six powers have been negotiating almost constantly for months, trying to forge an accord by July 20 when an interim deal agreed in Geneva in November expires. After a decade of rising tensions, the mooted accord between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN security council plus Germany is aimed at easing concerns that Iran might develop nuclear weapons and silencing talk of war. 

Iran denies seeking the atomic bomb and wants the lifting of crippling UN and Western sanctions. The six powers want Iran to dramatically reduce in scope its nuclear programme for a lengthy period of time and agree to more intrusive UN inspections.