MESOP : MORE TIME FOR IRAN : “THE CENTRIFUGES AR SPINNING AND WILLNEVER STOP” (ROUHANI)

Failing to reach an agreement by the November 24 deadline, six world powers and Iran have agreed to extend talks over Tehran’s nuclear development program for seven months. The parties aim to reach a political agreement by March 1, 2015 and to finalize the technical details of the agreement by July 1. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said progress had been made on key issues during recent negotiations, including on limiting Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium, according to Fabius.

Kerry noted “real and substantial progress” but acknowledged that significant differences remain and said the talks are “going to stay tough.” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the parties don’t need seven months to reach a deal and President Hassan Rouhani also expressed optimism saying that many gaps were narrowed during the negotiations in Vienna. However, Rouhani maintained, “the centrifuges are spinning and will never stop.” Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report Monday showing that Iran has taken the required steps to curb its nuclear program in compliance with the interim nuclear accord reached in November 2013