Iran talks reach focal point as deadlock persists.

Deal or no deal? Iran talks reach focal point as deadlock persists.

Friday deadline looms the negotiators on Tehran’s nuke deal seem to be in deadlock, with the US reportedly refusing to accept Iran’s rights, particularly concerning the relief from sanctions.

“While the Iranian team is showing flexibility, the Americans are refusing to accept Iran’s obvious right, particularly on sanctions,” a source told Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency on Thursday evening.

The West has “toughened its stance within last few hours, and in a clear U-turn even refuses to accept Iran’s nuclear rights,” an unnamed source told Iranian State TV.

The Islamic republic and six major powers – the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany – for the past few months have been negotiating on Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes in turn for relief from sanctions.

The deadline for the final deal has been postponed several times after the framework of the agreement was set up in Swiss Lausanne on April 2.

As the talks have reached a crucial stage on Thursday, US Secretary of State John Kerry signaled that an agreement may not be confirmed before the deadline expires after all.

“We will not rush and we will not be rushed” while “tough issues” are still on the table, Kerry said speaking to reporters in Vienna, the scene of the deadlocked negotiations.