Iran, 6 powers seek to narrow differences at nuke talks but substantial differences remain

VIENNA, Austria – Iran and six world powers are hoping to narrow differences at a new round of nuclear talks, less than three months before an informal July deadline for a deal.

Negotiations resumed Tuesday, and substantial differences remain.

The scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment program is the toughest issue. Iran argues it needs robust enrichment capacities to make low-enriched reactor fuel. The U.S, Britain, France and Germany want significant cuts to limit any potential effort to turn the program into making high-enriched material for nuclear arms.

Russia and China are somewhere in the middle.

Iran denies any interest in atomic arms. It is seeking an end to economic sanctions in return for any nuclear concessions.

A first-step deal now in effect curbed some Iranian nuclear activities in return for limited sanctions relief.