The nuclear negotiations between six world powers and Iran may need to be extended for a third time because the chances of reaching a final agreement by the 30 June deadline seem increasingly remote.
US and Iranian officials have been sparring over the terms of the framework agreement reached earlier this month in Switzerland. “It’s more likely than not that they’ll get a deal,” Martin Indyk, executive vice president of the Brookings Institution, told the news agency 'Bloomberg'.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei signaled the possibility of an extension in his comments last week, in which he also criticized US versions the framework.
The three-month window to wrap up negotiations “is not an unchangeable matter,” Khamenei said. “If this period increases, it is not a problem at all.”
A delay would create problems for US President Barack Obama, who has pressed Congress to delay imposing more sanctions on Iran until the deadline passes without a deal. After that date, it will be harder for him to restrain Congress, where Republicans may be able to rally enough Democrats to line up a veto-proof majority backing additional sanctions.
