article_snippet: U.S. officials and Western diplomats said the contours of a deal are becoming clearer, but U.S. officials and Western diplomats were unsure the contours of a deal could be reached.
article_snippet: The U.S. officials stressed all of the elements were interrelated and nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to, comparing the deal to a puzzle.
article_snippet: But The U.S. officials indicated most of the other elements were solvable if those two major hurdles could be overcome.
article_snippet: It's only to translate that understanding and realization into the agreement that we are negotiating.
article_snippet: But U.S. officials acknowledge there is still disagreement on the actual formula.
article_snippet: The figure is down from the 6,000 the sides were speaking about when the talks started on Thursday, but substantially more than the several hundred the United States had originally wanted.  
article_snippet: The parties are seeking agreement on the basic parameters of a deal before March 31.
article_snippet: A comprehensive deal including technical annexes is supposed to be concluded by June 30.
article_snippet: But even if a pact is reached, a pact is unclear what form what form would take.
article_snippet: But U.S. and Western diplomats say that Iran is looking simply for an "understanding" of what has been agreed to before a formal accord is reached.