Iran, West eye historic nuclear deal
Iranian and Western negotiators are meeting ahead of Monday deadline for a nuclear deal that could resolve a 12-year standoff over Iran's atomic programme, silence talk of war and help normalise relations with the West.
3 min read
Iranian foreign minister Zarif has arrived in Vienna for talks (Anadolu)
With the November 24 deadline for a deal over Iran's nuclear programme fast approaching, Iranian and Western negotiators are in Vienna for a final round of talks in an attempt to reach a deal.
Both sides are preemptively shifting the blame for not meeting next Monday's deadline on the other side.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, said that Iran would not "renounce its rights".
"If, because of excessive demands ... we don't get a result, then the world will understand that the Islamic Republic sought a solution, a compromise and a constructive agreement and that it will not renounce its rights and the greatness of the nation," Zarif told Iranian media on his arrival in Vienna on Tuesday.
Both the US and the UK said that the onus was on Iran.
Holding a joint news conference
with his British counterpart Philip Hammond, US secretary of state John Kerry said that it was "imperative that Iran works with us with all possible effort to prove to the world that the programme is peaceful".
Hammond, the UK foreign secretary, called for more "flexibility by the Iranians to convince us that their intentions in their nuclear programme are entirely peaceful".
A question of trust
Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK, US) signed the Geneva agreement on November 24 2013, under which it was agreed that Iran would temporarily suspend parts of its nuclear programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions against the country.
It was agreed that this would form the basis of a more comprehensive agreement, with July set as an initial deadline for a final deal. That deadline was extended to November when no agreement could be reached.
Iran insists that its 12-year atomic programme is a peaceful attempt to fulfil the country's energy needs, but there are fears that Tehran is trying to develop a bomb.
Regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Israel, are particularly sceptical of Iran's denial of any ulterior motive for its nuclear programme.
The current delay centres around each side's demands.
The P5+1 want Iran to scale down its nuclear programme, thereby making it virtually impossible for Iran to build a nuclear weapon.
Iran wants full assurances that sanctions that have severely damaged the country's economy will be lifted.
It now boils down to enrichment centrifuges - used to turn make uranium suitable for power generation and other peaceful uses - but also, at high purities, for a weapon.
Iran now wants more enrichment centrifuges so that, it says, it can make more fuel for future reactors.
The West wants the number of centrifuges slashed, saying Iran has no such need at present, something that would extend the breakout period to at least a year.
Other issues separating the two parties are the duration of the accord and how quickly sanctions are lifted. One Western diplomat described Iranian expections as "excessive".
November deal doubtful
The chances of a deal being reached by November 24 are doubtful, analysts say.
"There is virtually no possibility that a complete deal will be concluded by November 24," former top US diplomat Robert Einhorn, now an expert with the Brookings Institution, said, predicting another extension of "several more months".
Yet the alternative - walking away - would be "catastrophic", Arms Control Association analyst Kelsey Davenport said.
"Given the political capital that both sides have invested ... it would be foolish to walk away from the talks and throw away this historic opportunity," Davenport said.
Both sides are preemptively shifting the blame for not meeting next Monday's deadline on the other side.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, said that Iran would not "renounce its rights".
"If, because of excessive demands ... we don't get a result, then the world will understand that the Islamic Republic sought a solution, a compromise and a constructive agreement and that it will not renounce its rights and the greatness of the nation," Zarif told Iranian media on his arrival in Vienna on Tuesday.
Both the US and the UK said that the onus was on Iran.
Holding a joint news conference
 |
If, because of excessive demands ... we don't get a result, then the world will understand that the Islamic Republic sought a solution. - Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian FM |
Hammond, the UK foreign secretary, called for more "flexibility by the Iranians to convince us that their intentions in their nuclear programme are entirely peaceful".
A question of trust
Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK, US) signed the Geneva agreement on November 24 2013, under which it was agreed that Iran would temporarily suspend parts of its nuclear programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions against the country.
It was agreed that this would form the basis of a more comprehensive agreement, with July set as an initial deadline for a final deal. That deadline was extended to November when no agreement could be reached.
Iran insists that its 12-year atomic programme is a peaceful attempt to fulfil the country's energy needs, but there are fears that Tehran is trying to develop a bomb.
Regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Israel, are particularly sceptical of Iran's denial of any ulterior motive for its nuclear programme.
The current delay centres around each side's demands.
The P5+1 want Iran to scale down its nuclear programme, thereby making it virtually impossible for Iran to build a nuclear weapon.
Iran wants full assurances that sanctions that have severely damaged the country's economy will be lifted.
It now boils down to enrichment centrifuges - used to turn make uranium suitable for power generation and other peaceful uses - but also, at high purities, for a weapon.
Iran now wants more enrichment centrifuges so that, it says, it can make more fuel for future reactors.
|
There is virtually no possibility that a complete deal will be concluded by November 24. - Robert Einhorn, Brookings Institution |
The West wants the number of centrifuges slashed, saying Iran has no such need at present, something that would extend the breakout period to at least a year.
Other issues separating the two parties are the duration of the accord and how quickly sanctions are lifted. One Western diplomat described Iranian expections as "excessive".
November deal doubtful
The chances of a deal being reached by November 24 are doubtful, analysts say.
"There is virtually no possibility that a complete deal will be concluded by November 24," former top US diplomat Robert Einhorn, now an expert with the Brookings Institution, said, predicting another extension of "several more months".
Yet the alternative - walking away - would be "catastrophic", Arms Control Association analyst Kelsey Davenport said.
"Given the political capital that both sides have invested ... it would be foolish to walk away from the talks and throw away this historic opportunity," Davenport said.
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