Joining him are British, French and Russian foreign ministers in a sign of hope that interim deal could soon be reached
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is heading for Geneva to join talks on Iran's nuclear program,
and several other foreign ministers are on their way as well, in an
indication that ongoing negotiations between Tehran and six world powers
may be closer to finalizing an interim agreement.
The State Department announced Kerry’s trip after diplomats in the Swiss city said a major sticking point in negotiations on an agreement — under which Tehran would curb its contested atomic activities — may have been overcome. Negotiators have been working since Wednesday to find language acceptable to Iran and its negotiating partners.
Kerry will head to Geneva "with the goal of continuing to help narrow the differences and move closer to an agreement," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
As negotiations moved into the evening Friday, a diplomat in Geneva for the talks said some progress was being made on a key sticking point: Iran's claim to a right to produce nuclear fuel. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, have met repeatedly since Wednesday to try to resolve that and other differences.
Kerry is set to arrive in Geneva on Saturday and meet his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is already there. The French, British and Chinese foreign ministers subsequently indicated Friday that they would head to Geneva as well, possibly signaling a belief that there is growing momentum toward progress.
While the participation of the foreign ministers in the current round of talks —which have hitherto included mostly midlevel diplomats — is a sign that a deal may be close, it is no guarantee of success. The last round ended Nov. 10 with no deal, even after Kerry and the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Russia, and a Chinese deputy foreign minister, flew in and attempted to bridge differences.
The State Department announced Kerry’s trip after diplomats in the Swiss city said a major sticking point in negotiations on an agreement — under which Tehran would curb its contested atomic activities — may have been overcome. Negotiators have been working since Wednesday to find language acceptable to Iran and its negotiating partners.
Kerry will head to Geneva "with the goal of continuing to help narrow the differences and move closer to an agreement," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
As negotiations moved into the evening Friday, a diplomat in Geneva for the talks said some progress was being made on a key sticking point: Iran's claim to a right to produce nuclear fuel. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, have met repeatedly since Wednesday to try to resolve that and other differences.
Kerry is set to arrive in Geneva on Saturday and meet his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is already there. The French, British and Chinese foreign ministers subsequently indicated Friday that they would head to Geneva as well, possibly signaling a belief that there is growing momentum toward progress.
While the participation of the foreign ministers in the current round of talks —which have hitherto included mostly midlevel diplomats — is a sign that a deal may be close, it is no guarantee of success. The last round ended Nov. 10 with no deal, even after Kerry and the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Russia, and a Chinese deputy foreign minister, flew in and attempted to bridge differences.
How Iran may scale back its nuclear program
Right to enrich?
Zarif indicated last weekend that Iran is ready to sign a deal that
does not expressly state its right to enrich uranium, raising hopes that
a deal could be sealed at the current Geneva round, given Western
skepticism over Iranian enrichment.
On Wednesday, however, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said his country would never compromise on "red lines." Since then Tehran has reverted to its original stance: that the six powers must recognize this activity as Iran's right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), despite strong opposition by Israel and within the U.S. Congress.
A senior Iranian negotiator said his country's claim did not need to be explicitly recognized in any initial deal, despite Khamenei's comment. He did suggest, however, that language on that point remained contentious, along with other differences.
The diplomat said work was proceeding on a compromise along the lines of what the Iranian negotiator said — avoiding a direct reference to any country's right to enrich but still giving enough leeway for Iran to accept it. Both he and the Iranian envoy demanded anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the closed negotiations.
Iran says it is enriching only for reactor fuel, medical uses and research, and its Supreme Leader has issued previous fatwas, or religious edicts, against nuclear weapons.
But as the technology can also produce nuclear warhead material, many countries have long worried that Iran’s clandestine program is a cover for possibly nefarious designs.
In addition to discussion about enrichment in the current round of talks, sanctions relief is at issue.
The U.S. and its allies have signaled that they are ready to ease some sanctions in place against Iran in return for a first-step deal that starts to put limits on Tehran's nuclear program. But they insist that the most severe penalties — on oil exports and the banking sector — will remain until the two sides reach a comprehensive agreement to minimize Iran's nuclear-arms-making capacity.
On Wednesday, however, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said his country would never compromise on "red lines." Since then Tehran has reverted to its original stance: that the six powers must recognize this activity as Iran's right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), despite strong opposition by Israel and within the U.S. Congress.
A senior Iranian negotiator said his country's claim did not need to be explicitly recognized in any initial deal, despite Khamenei's comment. He did suggest, however, that language on that point remained contentious, along with other differences.
The diplomat said work was proceeding on a compromise along the lines of what the Iranian negotiator said — avoiding a direct reference to any country's right to enrich but still giving enough leeway for Iran to accept it. Both he and the Iranian envoy demanded anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the closed negotiations.
Iran says it is enriching only for reactor fuel, medical uses and research, and its Supreme Leader has issued previous fatwas, or religious edicts, against nuclear weapons.
But as the technology can also produce nuclear warhead material, many countries have long worried that Iran’s clandestine program is a cover for possibly nefarious designs.
In addition to discussion about enrichment in the current round of talks, sanctions relief is at issue.
The U.S. and its allies have signaled that they are ready to ease some sanctions in place against Iran in return for a first-step deal that starts to put limits on Tehran's nuclear program. But they insist that the most severe penalties — on oil exports and the banking sector — will remain until the two sides reach a comprehensive agreement to minimize Iran's nuclear-arms-making capacity.
Roadblocks remain the same
Another issue that has divided the parties is differences of opinion within the six powers negotiating with Iran.
France has taken a harder line than other Western powers, and has repeatedly urged the six-nation group not to make too many compromises with Tehran. Many commentators believe that France’s more stringent position prevented an agreement during the last round of talks.
But French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius expressed hope that a deal could be made, telling reporters in Paris that he was in contact with the negotiators in Geneva.
"As long as there is no agreement, there is no agreement. You know our position ... it's a position based on firmness, but at the same time a position of hope that we can reach a deal," Fabius said.
Even if there were a unified front on negotiations, however, the talks have their critics.
Israel continued its public campaign of criticizing the offer of a sanctions rollback for Iran, voicing its conviction that all the move would achieve would be to give Iran more time to master nuclear technology and amass potential bomb fuel.
"We think it's not a useful agreement. Perhaps even damaging," Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin told Israel Radio.
Separately, the United States has only limited flexibility in any negotiations because of skepticism in Congress about the benefits of cutting any deal with Tehran under the current negotiating framework, which includes the potential easing of sanctions.
Al Jazeera and wire services
France has taken a harder line than other Western powers, and has repeatedly urged the six-nation group not to make too many compromises with Tehran. Many commentators believe that France’s more stringent position prevented an agreement during the last round of talks.
But French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius expressed hope that a deal could be made, telling reporters in Paris that he was in contact with the negotiators in Geneva.
"As long as there is no agreement, there is no agreement. You know our position ... it's a position based on firmness, but at the same time a position of hope that we can reach a deal," Fabius said.
Even if there were a unified front on negotiations, however, the talks have their critics.
Israel continued its public campaign of criticizing the offer of a sanctions rollback for Iran, voicing its conviction that all the move would achieve would be to give Iran more time to master nuclear technology and amass potential bomb fuel.
"We think it's not a useful agreement. Perhaps even damaging," Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin told Israel Radio.
Separately, the United States has only limited flexibility in any negotiations because of skepticism in Congress about the benefits of cutting any deal with Tehran under the current negotiating framework, which includes the potential easing of sanctions.
Al Jazeera and wire services
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