Kerry: Major differences persist in Iran nuclear talks

US secretary of state John Kerry said yesterday major differences persist between Iran and six world powers negotiating on Tehran’s nuclear programme, remarks echoed by Tehran, with a July 20 deadline for a deal approaching.

The US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China want Iran to reduce its nuclear fuel-making capacity to deny it any means of quickly producing atom bombs.

In exchange, international sanctions that have crippled the large OPEC member’s oil-dependent economy would gradually be lifted.