Just four days before the deadline on the Iran nuclear deal, Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif puts the ball in six world powers' court; Israel's Intelligence Minister Steinitz: Deal is full of loopholes.

LAUSANNE - As talks between Tehran and six world powers neared the home stretch on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif moved the ball into the powers' court, saying that Tehran had shown flexibility during negotiations over its nuclear program, and that now it is the other side's turn.

The two sides are trying to reach a framework agreement that will set general principles for solving the disagreement over Tehran's nuclear program by Tuesday.

U.S. State Secretary John Kerry met with Zarif twice on Saturday, bringing to the total number of their meeting over the last three days to seven.

With only four days left before the Iran nuclear deal deadline, the foreign ministers of France and Germany arrived in the afternoon at the Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva where the talks are taking place, to join the intensive negotiations.

A senior State Department official who is taking part in the talks said it was important that the world powers' foreign ministers arrived in Lausanne for the negotiations. "We expect the pace to intensify as we assess if an understanding is possible," he said.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini arrived in Lausanne on Saturday evening, and said that the sides have never been closer to an agreement. She stressed, however, that there are still differences to overcome.

On Sunday, the foreign ministers of Russia, Britain and China will join the talks.

Zarif met with the German and French foreign ministers on Saturday. He said he had a very good meeting with them, and that both understand that sanctions, pressure and an agreement do not go together. During the meeting, Zarif tried to convince them to compromise their position on lifting sanctions on Iran.

In an attempt to move the ball to the P5+1, court Zarif tweeted: "In negotiations, both sides must show flexibility. We have, and are ready to make a good deal for all. We await our counterparts' readiness."

Javad Zarif��������? @JZarif
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In negotiations, both sides must show flexibility.We have, and are ready to make a good deal for all.We await our counterparts' readiness.



7:26 PM - 28 Mar 2015




Iran's President Hassan Rohani spoke on the telephone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday. Rohani said that both leaders emphasized the need to bridge the differences between the two sides and reach a deal.

Israel's Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Saturday that the deal taking shape between Iran and the world powers is "problematic and full of loopholes." "The fact that the Iranians are insisting to continue with research and development of much more advanced and efficient centrifuges, coupled with their unwillingness to answer the IAEA's questions and reveal their past illegal nuclear activity, means that even the minimal conditions for a decent framework agreement are far from being met."

Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, meanwhile, said Saturday that the talks with Iran are "intensive" and added that the toughest nuclear issues still need be resolved. A western diplomat added similar impressions. "The Iranians were polite but did not move much," he said.

If an agreement is reached by Tuesday, technical negotiations will continue until June 30, with the aim of consolidating a comprehensive agreement. Western and Iranian diplomats who are taking part in the talks said that there are attempts to reach a framework agreement by Sunday.

The main issues that are still dividing the two sides are the limitations that will be put on Iran's research and development into advanced centrifuges and the timetable for lifting sanctions on Tehran. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is also expected to join the talks on Saturday or Sunday because, �It's going to require a significant move by the Iranians to reach our red line positions."

This article was written by Barak Ravid for Haaretz on Mar. 28, 2015.�Barak Ravid is the diplomatic correspondent for Haaretz newspaper. He joined Haaretz in April 2007, covering the Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defense, dealing with issues such as U.S.-Israeli relations, EU-Israeli relations and the peace process.