John Kerry changes plans to join Iran nuclear talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry is to fly to join negotiations in Geneva on Iran's nuclear programme, amid rising expectation of a breakthrough.
Mr Kerry had been on a tour of the Middle East, but changed his plans at the invitation of the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Iran's foreign minister said a deal could be reached on Friday.
The talks bring together world powers - the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany (P5+1) - and Iran.
The BBC's Kim Ghattas, who is travelling with Mr Kerry, says his dramatic decision to change his travel plans and go to Geneva is a clear sign that a deal with Iran may be within reach.
A senior state department official told the BBC that he was going "to help narrow differences in negotiations" between Iran and the 5P+1.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN on Thursday that Iran would not suspend uranium enrichment completely but could "deal with the various issues on the table".
The West suspects Iran's uranium enrichment programme is a step towards building nuclear weapons.
On Thursday, the US confirmed some sanctions relief was being offered in return for "concrete, verifiable measures".
But Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said a nuclear deal would be a "historic" mistake, accusing Iran of only offering fake concessions.
Mr Kerry is due to meet Mr Netanyahu early on Friday before flying to Geneva.
'End game'Mr Zarif said the sides could sit down by Friday morning to prepare "some sort of a joint statement" that would address three elements - a common objective, an "end game... in less than a year'' and mutual confidence-building measures.
Iran's lead negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, said the world powers had "clearly" accepted his country's proposed framework and were now discussing details.
However, there was no official confirmation from the P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, the UK, France and Germany.

In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Thursday that the six powers "would consider limited, targeted, and reversible relief that does not affect our core sanctions architecture".
The broader sanctions regime would be maintained until there was a "final, comprehensive, verifiable" agreement that resolved international concerns, he said.
If Iran failed to show progress on its nuclear programme, the "moderate" sanctions relief could be reversed, and stiffer sanctions could be imposed, he added.
Hopes of a long-awaited deal on curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions were given fresh momentum this year by the election of President Hassan Rouhani, seen as a relative moderate.
Since 2006 the UN Security Council has imposed a series of sanctions - including asset freezes and travel bans - on entities and people involved in Iran's nuclear programme.
Separate US and EU sanctions have targeted Iran's energy and banking sectors, crippling its oil-based economy. Iran wants the sanctions lifted.
Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem before the talks began, Mr Netanyahu said the proposals would allow Iran to retain the capabilities to make nuclear weapons.
"Israel understands that there are proposals on the table in Geneva today that would ease the pressure on Iran for concessions that are not concessions at all," he said.
Mr Netanyahu said economic sanctions had brought the Iranian economy to the "edge of the abyss" and the P5+1 could "compel Iran to fully dismantle its nuclear weapons programme".
"Anything else will make a peaceful solution less likely. Israel always reserves the right to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Israel's prime minister said.