Iran says makes new proposal in nuclear talks, West

Iran has offered "constructive solutions" to resolve disputes in nuclear talks with six major powers, the Iranian Students news agency ISNA reported on July 8, but Western officials suggested they had heard nothing new from Tehran. 

Iran and the powers are in the last stretch of talks to reach a final agreement to end a more than 12-year standoff over the country's disputed nuclear program. The goal an agreement that would lift sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program for at least a decade. 

"Iran has presented constructive solutions to overcome the remaining differences. We will not show flexibility regarding our red lines," the Iranian diplomat, who was not identified, told ISNA. 

But Western officials indicated they have yet to see new proposals from Iran that could end the deadlock.

The biggest sticking points include issues such as a United Nations arms embargo, U.N. missile sanctions, the speed of sanctions relief, and research and development on advanced nuclear centrifuges. 

"I haven't seen anything new from Iran," a Western diplomat close to the talks told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Another Western official echoed the remarks. 

Western countries accuse Iran of seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear programme is peaceful. 

A successful deal could change balance of power in the Middle East, the biggest milestone in decades towards easing hostility between Iran and the United States, foes since Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979. 

It would be a political success for both U.S. President Barack Obama and Iran's pragmatic President Hassan Rouhani, both of whom face scepticism from powerful hardliners at...