Kerry, Ashton, Zarif to meet as Iran deadline looms
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif are to meet in Vienna Oct. 14-15 amid increasing concerns the Nov. 24 deadline for an Iran nuclear deal won't be met.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet in Vienna Oct. 14-15, with a looming deadline for a final Iran nuclear deal less than two months away, European and Iranian officials said Wednesday.
US negotiators, including Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman and senior adviser Jake Sullivan will meet with their Iranian counterparts in Vienna Oct. 14, a day ahead of Kerry joining the Ashton-Zarif meeting, the State Department said.
The meetings come as there is a growing sense in the Washington policy community and beyond that concluding a comprehensive accord by the Nov. 24 deadline is unlikely.
"A full-fledged agreement by Nov. 24 is no longer likely. But what is still achievable is a breakthrough that could justify a few more weeks for hammering out the remaining details," Ali Vaez, senior Iran researcher at the International Crisis Group, told Al-Monitor Oct. 8.
