This 2011 photo shows Iran's heavy water nuclear facility near the city of Arak, one of several sites that would impacted by a landmark deal with world powers being negotiated this week in Switzerland.(Photo: Hamid Foroutan, AP)
As a self-imposed Tuesday deadline nears, the United States and five other world powers are negotiating with Iran on an agreement that limits Iran's nuclear program to peaceful purposes and ensures it does not develop nuclear weapons.
Here are the major sticking points that have divided negotiators:
Lifting sanctions
Iran has said it wants most international financial sanctions, which have strangled its economy, lifted right away once a deal is struck, with the rest lifted within 10 years. The United States had wanted sanctions lifted more gradually, over 20 years or more, to ensure Iran abides by terms of the deal. Both sides agree that lifting sanction will be tied to Iran's implementation of various requirements in the agreement. Negotiators appear to be settling on a compromise 15-year time frame, with some sanctions lifted earlier, according to media reports.
Nuclear fuel stockpiles
Iran has large stockpiles of low-grade uranium fuel that could be processed further for use in a bomb. World powers have sought to have that fuel shipped to Russia for processing, but Iran has rejected that option. One possible compromise: diluting or converting the fuel to forms that cannot be used in weapons, although that process could be reversed.
Centrifuges
Iran is operating roughly half of its 19,000 centrifuge machines to produce uranium fuel that can be used for peaceful reactors or for bombs. It has said it needs nearly 200,000 centrifuges to keep all its planned reactors running. Such a large number would allow it to produce enough fuel for bombs quickly. The USA has agreed to a limit of just 6,500 operating centrifuges, according to media reports.
Bunkered nuclear sites
The United States has pressed for Iran to dismantle its fuel-processing research facility under a mountain at Fordow, which may be invulnerable to a military attack. Negotiators have discussed allowing Iran to continue developing advanced centrifuges there, but not to process uranium.
Inspections
How Iranian facilities will be monitored to make sure Iran doesn't cheat is still in question. The USA has said monitoring should include snap inspections of all sites, including military facilities, but Iran has refused. U.S. negotiators have said Iran will face the most stringent inspections ever implemented. Critics, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, say Iran has so far refused to divulge information about its past weapons work and can still hide a secret program.
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