Diplomats: Iran atomic talks move toward extension
By GEORGE JAHN and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press
Nov 23, 2014 1:39 PM CST
An Iranian student holds a placard to show a support for Iran's nuclear program in a gathering in front of the headquarters of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014. With a deadline approaching for a nuclear deal, an Iranian official said Sunday that the discussion...   (Associated Press)

VIENNA (AP) — A senior American official says the U.S. has told Iran it's time to consider extending nuclear talks past their Monday deadline.

The move marks the first formal recognition by Washington that a deal won't be reached by the target date, creating the need for add-on talks.

The official says U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made the proposal to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the latest of a series of meetings since Kerry arrived on Thursday to add his diplomatic weight to the talks.

The decision comes a little more than a day before the target date for a deal focusing on capping Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

At the same time, formal talks with Iran on bridging the differences are continuing.

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