Zarif in Montreaux: pretty much all take and no give

It's almost sort of amusing to hear all these observers and participants get all excited about little nuggets of "progress" in the talks between Iran and the P5+1 over Iran's nuclear program.  It still comes down to the same juncture it always does: Iran wants all sanctions lifted, legitimization of its regime, and plenty of centrifuges to ensure it can enrich uranium to weapon-making levels. The West says, "There are problematic elements in your position" and move a little further away from its original position, and Iran says, "Not enough."

Iran on Tuesday rejected as "unacceptable" U.S. President Barack Obama's demand that it freeze sensitive nuclear activities for at least 10 years, but said it would continue talks aimed at securing a deal, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"Iran will not accept excessive and illogical demands," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Fars.

"Obama’s stance ... is expressed in unacceptable and threatening phrases ... ," he reportedly said, adding that negotiations underway in Switzerland would nonetheless carry on.

Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sat down for a second day of meetings hours after Obama had told Reuters that Iran must commit to a verifiable halt of at least 10 years on sensitive nuclear work for a landmark atomic deal to be reached.

So the question is, is the looming deadline enough of a motivator for Secretary Global-Test to give away the store now?