Kerry edges closer to nuclear deal with Iran

US Secretary of State John Kerry said important gaps needed to be bridged in high-stakes talks with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme and he began talks with Tehran’s foreign minister to try to clinch an interim deal.

“I want to emphasise there is not an agreement at this point,” Kerry said in Geneva yesterday, tempering expectations of an imminent breakthrough that could reduce the risk of a Middle East war over Iran’s nuclear aspirations.

“We hope to try to narrow these differences but I don’t think anybody should mistake there are some important gaps that have to be closed,” he told reporters.