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Kerry of says meeting with Iranian foreign minister positive, 'hopeful' for Iran nuke deal

Associated Press
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In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader on Saturday, July 11, 2015, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with university students in Tehran, Iran. Iran's state-run Press TV cited Khamenei as calling the U.S. an "excellent example of arrogance." It said Khamenei told university students in Tehran to be "prepared to continue the struggle against arrogant powers." (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) (The Associated Press)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, centre, and State Department Chief of Staff Jon Finer, left, meet with other members of the U.S. delegation at the garden of the Palais Coburg hotel where the Iran nuclear talks meetings are being held in Vienna, Austria, Friday July 10, 2015. Kerry urged Iran to make the “tough political decisions” needed to reach an agreement but Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused major powers on Friday of backtracking on previous pledges and throwing up new "red lines" at nuclear talks. (Carlos Barria/Pool via AP) (The Associated Press)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry leaves his hotel on the way to mass at the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, Sunday July 12, 2015. Nuclear negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, appeared back on track Sunday, with Kerry dropping warnings they could go either way but expressing hope that nearly a decade of international efforts could soon result in a historic deal. (Carlos Barria / Pool via AP) (The Associated Press)

After days of saying Iranian nuclear talks can go either way, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expressing optimism that a deal can be reached.

Kerry says he is "hopeful" after his last meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. He says a "few tough things" remain in the way of agreement but "we're getting to some real decisions."

Kerry spoke Sunday, with less than two days to go to Monday's target date for a pact meant to impose long-term verifiable limits on nuclear programs that Tehran could modify to produce weapons. Iran would get tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief in return.

The talks are now in their 16th day and have been extended three times since the first deadline of March 31 was missed.