Senior Iranian official says progress slow at nuclear talks

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Vienna Friday to launch a top-level push to meet next week’s deadline for talks on Iran’s nuclear program, which aim to curb Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief.

But a senior Iranian official warned that negotiations are hampered by differences not only between Tehran and the six other countries it is bargaining with but internally among the six as well.

Kerry was the first to arrive Friday evening, with diplomats from Iran, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China expected in the Austrian capital.

Iran and the six countries at the negotiating table agreed in April on the outlines of a deal that would crimp Tehran’s nuclear activities for at least 10 years in return for sanctions relief for Tehran.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the negotiators were still aiming for a June 30 deal. But the more important target date is July 9. As part of an agreement with U.S. Congress, if the legislature receives a deal by then, it has 30 days to review it before President Barack Obama could suspend congressional sanctions.