‘Spreading fears’ about Iran nuclear deal unhelpful — EU

GENEVA — EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned Tuesday against "spreading fears" about a deal being negotiated with Iran over its nuclear activities, just as Israel's prime minister was addressing the US Congress about the issue.

"Spreading fears is not helpful at this stage," Mogherini told reporters in Geneva in comments that appeared directed at Benjamin Netanyahu, though she did not mention him by name, adding: "We are getting closer" to a deal.

Her comments came as Netanyahu, who has repeatedly attacked the emerging Iran deal, began a speech in which he reportedly plans to unveil classified details shared by the US to show why he believes it poses a grave danger to Israel.

World powers are nearing a March 31 deadline to strike a political framework for a deal to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.

"I would like to make an appeal, a plea to all public actors to facilitate rather than put in danger diplomatic efforts that have been extremely difficult," Mogherini said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has been holding talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on the deal since Monday in the Swiss lakeside town of Montreux.

Mogherini said she had spoken to Kerry by phone and was due to speak to Zarif later Tuesday.

"There were significant steps made in the last weeks, with a lot of political will that I see on many sides," she said.

"[In] the talks of this last round, including the one of today, [there] were encouraging signs."