Nuclear deal could be sealed with Iran within weeks: British foreign secretary

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Sunday that there is "a good chance" for talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program to reach a deal within the next few weeks.

The negotiations in Geneva, although inconclusive, had "made a lot of progress," Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

"A deal is on the table and it can be done. But it is a formidably difficult negotiation. I can't say exactly when it will conclude," he said.

The foreign secretary said there were "narrow gaps" between world powers and Iran.

"You asked what went wrong, I would say that a great deal went right," he said.

"This is a very difficult negotiation but it's fundamental to international peace and security over the next few years so we have to persist," he said.

Hague also said the members of the UN Security Council were "clearly united."

"We were all saying the same thing to Iran and supporting the same deal and that is something for the Iranians to think carefully about," he said.

The three-day talks between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Germany, and Iran failed reach an agreement in Geneva.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said early Sunday that world powers would reconvene talks with Iran on Nov. 20.