Iran Nuclear Talks: 'Significant Gaps' Remain

Significant gaps remain following the latest round of talks on Iran's nuclear programme, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said.

Mr Kerry wrapped up three days of negotiations on Wednesday with Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif amid mounting criticism of a potential nuclear deal.

Noting that "some progress" had been made during the latest talks, he added: "There are still significant gaps and important choices that need to be made."

He also hit back at critics, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who laid out his concerns about a nuclear deal in an address to the US Congress on Tuesday.

Echoing President Barack Obama's response to the speech, Mr Kerry said: "No one has presented a more viable lasting alternative for how you actually prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

"So folks, simply demanding that Iran capitulate is not a plan. And nor would any of our P5+1 partners support us in that position."

Mr Netanyahu has called for the powers to insist Iran dismantle its nuclear infrastructure and change what he described as its "aggressive" regional posture.

On Wednesday, Mr Kerry sought to address the concerns of Arab nations who fear that a nuclear deal may simply leave Iran with more cash and energy to pursue its regional agenda, including supporting Shi'ite Muslim groups in Yemen and Syria and the Lebanon-based political and militant group Hezbollah.

He said: "For all the objections that any country has to Iranian activities in the region, and believe me, we have objections and others in the world have objections, the first step is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon."

Mr Kerry will fly to the Saudi capital Riyadh later on Wednesday and plans to meet the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany in Paris on Saturday, a senior State Department official said.

Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to push through legislation that would give Congress a say over any deal.

Talks are set to resume on 15 March ahead of a 31 March deadline for an outline agreement between Iran and six world powers.