[JURIST] Nuclear talks continued Sunday in Lausanne, Switzerland, two days before a self-imposed deadline for a preliminary deal set by the six world powers involved in the negotiations with Iran. US Secretary of State John Kerry [official website] and French and German foreign ministers have cancelled travel plans to leave Lausanne, opting instead to remain in Switzerland and finalize details [Reuters report] of the deal. The UK, China and Russia are the other nations taking part in the discussions with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [official profile] has continued to criticize the talks, expressing belief that Iran is seeking to take over the entire Middle Eastern region. Some of the issues [WSJ report] which must still be resolved include relieving UN sanctions on Iran and the activities the country would be permitted to execute in its nuclear facilities.

Over the past several years Iran has been subject to numerous sanctions for its contentious nuclear program, although some doubt the efficacy of such sanctions [JURIST op-ed]. The US and France agreed [JURIST report] earlier this month to strengthen nuclear talks with Iran in negotiations to persuade Iran to restrain its nuclear program in exchange for relief from sanctions. In February, the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [official website] condemned Iran for violating [JURIST report] its duties under the Joint Plan of Action, a negotiation between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia, whereby Iran has agreed to expand its nuclear program peacefully. Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif [official website] announced in December that Iran and the six world powers were set to resume [JURIST report] low-level talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Geneva in January. Iranian leaders have repeatedly claimed [JURIST report] that the developing nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the international community, Israel in particular, worries that Iran’s enrichment program was designed for military purposes.