EUROPE, IRAN NEAR DEAL ON NUCLEAR ARMS.(MAIN)

Byline: DAFNA LINZER Washington Post

NEW YORK -- A European deal to freeze Iran's nuclear program, provide the Islamic Republic with lucrative trade incentives and keep it out of the U.N. Security Council, could be signed by midweek if two critical issues can be quickly resolved, U.S., European and Iranian officials said in interviews Sunday.

Iran is still refusing to accept a full suspension on all its nuclear-related work and wants a commitment from France, Britain and Germany that a second stage of negotiations will be wrapped up within six months. The European trio wants the later negotiations to be open-ended and expects Iran to maintain a total …