Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers look set to miss the 7 July deadline on reaching an agreement about Tehran’s nuclear programme, as officials from both sides concede talks in Vienna could continue further into the week.

Foreign ministers negotiated into the early hours of 7 July, in an attempt to iron out the issues that remain between the two positions. But despite reaching an agreement for the parameters of the talks on 2 April, major sticking points remain, including the timeline of sanctions removal and the conditions under which the sanctions could “snap back” if Iran does not meet targets.

The talks have already been extended from the initial 30 June deadline.

A White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, told news agency AFP that overrunning the deadline is “certainly possible”.

“Even if we pass 9 July, that will not be the end of the world,” an Iranian official told the same news agency.

The P5+1 group – the US, the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia – are seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear programme to prevent it from developing weapons. In exchange, Tehran would gain relief from international sanctions, normalising its trade relations with the world and benefiting its economy.