WASHINGTON
Ongoing negotiations between Iran and world powers could continue beyond an end of March deadline even if a much sought-after framework agreement isn't reached, the White House said Tuesday.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that U.S. negotiators intend to continue talks Wedneday “if necessary and as long as the conversations continue to be productive.”
“When I say ‘if it's necessary,’ I mean if it's midnight and a deal has not been reached, but the conversations continue to be productive, then they'd be prepared to continue the talks into tomorrow,” he said. “If we are making progress toward the finish line, then we should keep going.”
Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers, which includes the U.S., China, France, Russia, the UK, plus Germany, set March 31 for negotiators to reach an outline of a much sought after deal on Iran’s nuclear program.
Negotiators have been engaged in marathon talks in the Swiss city of Lausanne to try to reach the deal ahead of an end of June deadline for a final accord.
President Barack Obama was updated Tuesday on the Swiss talks, and might speak with the U.S. negotiating team later in the day, Earnest said.
Two previous deadlines for a deal have passed as negotiators seek to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful civilian purposes but world powers are suspicious that the program could potentially be used for military purposes.
