Geneva talks continue with Iran resisting aspects of nuclear deal
China expected to join landmark negotiations as Tehran resists some demands that would limit its programme but ease sanctions
As Chinese and Russian foreign ministers joined Western officials in Geneva yesterday, France warned of serious stumbling blocks to a long-sought accord with Iran.
With unity among Western powers appearing to fray in talks on getting Tehran to curtail its nuclear programme, Iranian media quoted the Islamic Republic's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, as saying "the issues are serious and there is still a gap in stances".
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that if no deal was reached yesterday, talks could continue in a week to 10 days.
Iran's refusal to suspend work on a plutonium-producing reactor and downgrade its stockpile of higher-enriched uranium was standing in the way of an interim agreement to curb Tehran's nuclear programme in return for easing of sanctions, France's foreign minister said.
A Western diplomat in Geneva for the talks said the French were holding out for conditions on the Iranians tougher than those agreed to by the US and France's other negotiating partners.
Laurent Fabius' remarks to France-Inter radio were the first to provide some specifics on the obstacles at the talks, which entered a third - unscheduled - day.