"Some gaps continue to remain" between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany (P5+1) in the Vienna talks on Iran's nuclear program, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday. The deadline to conclude the talks, due to expire on Sunday, could reportedly be extended.
Asked about reports that Iran and the P5+1 had agreed to extend the talks past Sunday, Earnest told a press briefing he was not in a position to confirm those reports.
Secretary of State John Kerry departed Vienna on Tuesday, and is back in Washington to consult with President Barack Obama and members of Congress about the way forward in the talks, Earnest said.
"Over the last six months since the Joint Plan of Action took effect, we have made tangible progress on a range of key issues in our negotiations with the Iranians," he said.
Progress on Iran's nuclear program has been halted and rolled back in some key respects, "and we have been negotiating in good faith to try to reach an agreement," Earnest said.
"And part of Secretary Kerry's consultations with the President will involve a discussion about the path forward, which reflects the fact that some gaps remain here just four days before the pre-set deadline (July 20) for these negotiations to end." "There are a number of paths forward for all of the parties to consider, and Secretary Kerry is consulting with the President this afternoon to make sense about what paths would be in the interests of the United States," Earnest added.