And now it has to deal with an impasse over the evidence from America that Iran dismisses as a fabrication.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear proliferation

Against that backdrop, White House officials and some Republicans are arguing that the best way out of the impasse is to resume the search for a comprehensive deficit-cutting deal that gets to the core of the long-term problem through a rewrite of tax policy and a revamp of entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

WSJ: Sequester Cuts Roll In as Time Runs Out

Still, while the U.N. talks are at an impasse, some analysts say there is still hope for a last-minute deal.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | CAMBODIA: Will Justice Ever be Served?