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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Negotiations over Iran's nuclear program have taken on a frantic tone amid signs of discord in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The French and German foreign ministers have joined Secretary of State John Kerry in talks with Tehran's top diplomat ahead of an end-of-March deadline for a preliminary deal.
Negotiators have been meeting multiple times in various formats to produce what they hope will be an outline of an agreement that can become the basis for a comprehensive deal to be reached by the end of June.
Officials describe obstacles, including Iranian resistance to limits on research and development and demands for more speedy and broad relief from international sanctions.
But Iran's foreign minister suggests the blame for any impasses lies with the U.S. and its partners, writing on Twitter that "both sides must show flexibility."
Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (hah-SAHN' roh-HAH'-nee) has spoken by phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to emphasize the importance of reaching an agreement.
But Russia's deputy foreign minister still puts the chances of an agreement "significantly" above 50 percent.
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142-a-12-(EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, with reporters)-"bridge the gaps"-EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says the talks with Iran are progressing. (28 Mar 2015)
<<CUT *142 (03/28/15)££ 00:12 "bridge the gaps"
143-a-10-(EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, with reporters)-"made substantial progress"-EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says she remains optimistic an agreement can be reached. (28 Mar 2015)
<<CUT *143 (03/28/15)££ 00:10 "made substantial progress"
144-a-09-(EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, with reporters)-"tomorrow or afterwards"-EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says critical points remain to be resolved in the talks with Iran over its nuclear program (28 Mar 2015)
<<CUT *144 (03/28/15)££ 00:09 "tomorrow or afterwards"
145-a-12-(EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, with reporters)-"civil nuclear program"-EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says she believes the talks will produce an agreement that is good both all sides. (28 Mar 2015)
<<CUT *145 (03/28/15)££ 00:12 "civil nuclear program"
146-a-12-(EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, with reporters)-"stability and security"-EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini says European countries are united on what they want the outcome of the talks to be. (28 Mar 2015)
<<CUT *146 (03/28/15)££ 00:12 "stability and security"
APPHOTO LON127: German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, 2nd left, US Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, centre left, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, centre,, US Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, centre right, French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, right, and others wait for the start of a trilateral meeting at an hotel in Lausanne Saturday, March 28, 2015. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear program picked up pace on Saturday with the French and German foreign ministers joining U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in talks with Tehran's top diplomat ahead of an end-of-March deadline for a preliminary deal. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (28 Mar 2015)
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APPHOTO LON122: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, centre, speaks to the press after seperate meetings with the German and French foreign ministers, at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland, Saturday, March 28, 2015. (AP Photo /Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (28 Mar 2015)
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