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Iran nuclear talks go into overtime

Secretary of state John Kerry hopes for a conclusion by the end of the week.

By Ed Adamczyk
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on June 30 in Vienna, Austria. (CC/ U.S. State Department)
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on June 30 in Vienna, Austria. (CC/ U.S. State Department)

VIENNA , July 7 (UPI) -- Negotiations over a nuclear agreement with Iran will continue past Tuesday's deadline, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

The 21-month long negotiations in Vienna between Iran and six western powers, attempting to balance a curtailment of Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting of economic sanctions, had an often-postponed deadline of July 7, with plans to present the completed deal to the U.S. Senate, for its consideration and approval, by July 9.

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"The news is we are continuing the negotiations in these hours. You might see some ministers leaving in the next hours and then ready to come back in the coming hours and days," said Mogherini. "We are continuing to negotiate for the next couple of days. That does not mean we are extending our deadlines." A major impediment to completion of the talks is the Western countries' insistence on broad powers to inspect Iranian nuclear sites, including those on military bases.

"Access is really important," Laura Rockwood, former rules writer for inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told CBS News. "The IAEA should have access to military bases. They have access in other countries, at least 10 other countries... there's no exemption, no automatic exemption for access to a military location."

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The United States has also demanded opportunity to question Iranian scientists; Iran's reluctance to agree stems from the mysterious deaths of five of its top scientists after their identities were revealed.

The stalled talks are among the reasons for a plunge in the price of oil Monday.

U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he hopes for a resolution of the stalemate by the end of the week, but has repeatedly said he is "prepared to walk away" from the talks.

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