Iran nuclear talks extended

Negotiators have extended talks on Iran's nuclear programme for a comprehensive agreement until July 2015 after failing to meet a Monday deadline, diplomats said.

But Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that a nuclear deal with the six world powers would be done despite a missed deadline in Vienna that prompted a seven-month extension in talks.

"This path of negotiation will reach a final agreement. Most of the gaps have been removed," he said on state television.

His comments were similar to those of US Secretary of State John Kerry who insisted "real and substantial progress" was made during the talks. He called on US lawmakers not to impose new sanctions on Tehran.

"We have made real and substantial progress," Kerry said in Vienna. "This is not the time to get up and get away.... We look for your support (in Congress) for this extension." 

Iran and six powers - the US, China, Russia, Britain, France plus Germany (P5 1) - have been negotiating for six days in the Austrian capital to turn an interim accord reached with the Islamic Republic a year ago into a lasting agreement.

The six nations want Tehran to scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for a lifting of sanctions.

Negotiators agreed to nail down by March 1 what needs to be done by Iran and the six nations it is negotiating with, and by when. A final agreement is meant to follow four months later. 

Kerry praised his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying he had "worked deligently and approached these negotiations in good faith and with seriousness of purpose".

"That's what it takes to try to resolve the kind of difficult issues here," Kerry said.