http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-leaders-discuss-iran-nuclear-talks-1426845251

France Takes Toughest Line at Iran Nuclear Talks

Negotiations move closer to March 31 cutoff without a breakthrough

By JAY SOLOMON and LAURENCE NORMAN
Updated March 20, 2015 5:40 p.m. ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland—France is again adopting the toughest line against Iran in negotiations aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program, potentially placing Paris at odds with the Obama administration as a diplomatic deadline to forge an agreement approaches at month-end.

President Barack Obama called French President François Hollande on Friday to discuss the Iran diplomacy and try to unify their positions. The presidents “reaffirmed their commitment” to a deal “while noting that Iran must take steps to resolve several remaining issues,” the White House said.

French diplomats have been publicly pressing the U.S. and other world powers not to give ground on key elements—particularly the speed of lifting U.N. sanctions and the pledge to constrain Iran’s nuclear research work—ahead of the March 31 target.

Paris also appears to be operating on a different diplomatic clock than Washington, arguing that the date is an “artificial” deadline and that global powers should be willing to wait Tehran out for a better deal if necessary.

<snip>

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31901961

Iran deal could start nuclear fuel race - Saudi Arabia
By Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Riyadh
16 March 2015

A senior member of the Saudi royal family has warned that a deal on Iran's nuclear programme could prompt other regional states to develop atomic fuel.

Prince Turki al-Faisal told the BBC that Saudi Arabia would then seek the same right, as would other nations.

Six world powers are negotiating an agreement aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear activity but not ending it.

Critics have argued this would trigger a nuclear arms race in the region spurred on by Saudi-Iran rivalry.

<snip>