Both US and Iranian officials have confirmed “tangible progress” on the final nuclear settlement, though with the July 20 deadline just days away no deal seems likely to emerge that quickly.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was the first official to broach the elephant in the room publicly, the possibility of extending the deadline to continue talks, saying that more time could help.
Both sides have been reluctant to talk about that publicly, even though it’s always been an option, fearing it would take the sense of urgency out of negotiations. Even with just a few days left, some seem to be reluctant to mention it.
Yet even though Iran has offered huge concessions on enrichment in recent days, the US isn’t budging from its harsh position, and it is clearly too late to cobble together a final pact by Sunday.
