U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif are resuming their negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program Thursday in Switzerland, as they enter the final days before a self-imposed deadline for a framework agreement.

Ahead of the meetings in Lausanne, a senior State Department official told reporters that the U.S. “can see a path forward to get to agreement” by the March 31 target. 

Iran and the group that includes the U.S., Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany want reach a final deal by the end of June that would restrain Iran’s nuclear activity in return for easing economic sanctions.

The two sides have held multiple rounds of talks in recent months, but have yet to agree on details such as the number of centrifuges Iran would be allowed to operate and the pace at which the sanctions would end.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian purposes like medical research and generating power.

In a telephone call this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Zarif to reach an agreement now that “the Iran nuclear talks have reached the final sprint in the marathon.”  

A statement issued by the foreign ministry in Beijing quoted Wang as saying, “Reaching an agreement is the trend of the times and the will of the people, which accords with the joint and long-term interests of all sides, including Iran.”
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