WASHINGTON — Progress in drafting the final Iran nuclear deal is slow, European diplomats said May 26, predicting that negotiations will go down to the June 30 deadline or beyond. But while success in concluding the comprehensive deal is not a sure thing, the diplomats said, the framework accord reached in Lausanne, Switzerland, on April 2 provides the foundation for a solid agreement that would ensure Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon, and could make way for “spinoff” talks on issues of common regional concern.

The final Iran nuclear deal “is not yet in the bag,” British Ambassador Peter Westmacott said May 26, speaking on an Atlantic Council panel with the three European members of the P5+1 (the five UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany). “If [we] can’t get the right deal, there won’t be a deal. But the framework [accord] is significantly better than any of the alternatives.”

If a nuclear deal is able to be reached, that does not give Iran “carte blanche” to take destabilizing actions in the region, Westmacott added. But it could facilitate “spinoff” talks on regional issues of common concern, to see if common ground could be found.

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This article was written by Laura Rozen for Al-Monitor on May 26, 2015. Laura Rozen reports on foreign policy from Washington, DC, for Al-Monitor's Back Channel. She has written for Yahoo! News, Politico and Foreign Policy.