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Iran and World Powers Agree on Framework for Nuclear Talks Iran and World Powers Agree on Framework for Nuclear Talks
(about 2 hours later)
VIENNA — In what officials described as a serious, workmanlike and conversational atmosphere, Iran and six world powers have agreed upon a timetable and framework for negotiating a comprehensive agreement to end the confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program, the European Union’s foreign policy chief and Iran’s foreign minister said on Thursday. VIENNA — In what officials described as a serious, workmanlike and conversational atmosphere, Iran and six world powers have agreed on a timetable and framework for negotiating a comprehensive agreement to end the confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program, the European Union’s foreign policy chief and Iran’s foreign minister said on Thursday.
While details were vague and the two delegation leaders refused to take any questions at a closing news conference, they said that expert groups would meet early in March and the full delegations would meet here again on March 17, with the expectation that they will meet monthly. While details were vague and the two delegation leaders refused to take any questions at a closing news conference, they said that expert groups would meet early in March and that the full delegations would meet here again on March 17, with the expectation that they will meet monthly.
Officials refused to describe the topics for the expert meetings, but a senior American official said that “every issue of concern to us is on the table,” from uranium enrichment and Iran’s heavy-water reactor project to the country’s alleged past nuclear military research and its ballistic missile program. All these issues, the official said, including clarifying the issue of Iran’s past military research, are at least referenced in a joint plan of action agreed upon with Iran last November in Geneva. Officials refused to describe the topics for the expert meetings, but a senior American official said that “every issue of concern to us is on the table,” from uranium enrichment and Iran’s heavy-water reactor project to the country’s alleged past nuclear military research and its ballistic missile program. All these issues, the official said, including clarifying the issue of Iran’s past military research, are at least mentioned in a joint plan of action agreed upon with Iran last November in Geneva.
“All our concerns must be met to get an agreement,” the American official said, defining Washington’s goals as ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon and ensuring that “the international community” can have confidence that Iran’s nuclear program has no military aspect or intent, as Iran maintains it does not.“All our concerns must be met to get an agreement,” the American official said, defining Washington’s goals as ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon and ensuring that “the international community” can have confidence that Iran’s nuclear program has no military aspect or intent, as Iran maintains it does not.
The care officials on all sides took not to say anything very specific was striking, as was the good atmosphere they described in the meetings themselves, which were said to have no element of political rhetoric or posturing, even over “areas of difficulty,” as one official said. It was clear that neither side wanted anything to ring of failure in this first round of talks on a comprehensive deal, but it was also clear that most of the work here was about setting an agenda and establishing the priority of the issues at stake, without entering a substantive discussion of those issues. The care that officials on all sides took not to say anything very specific was striking, as was the good atmosphere they described in the meetings themselves, which were said by one official to have no element of political rhetoric or posturing, even over “areas of difficulty.” It was clear that neither side wanted anything to ring of failure in this first round of talks on a comprehensive deal, but it was also clear that most of the work here was about setting an agenda and establishing the priority of the issues at stake, without entering a substantive discussion of those issues.
Iranian officials have said publicly that only their nuclear program is on the agenda, not their larger military structure, and that they will not “dismantle” any part of their nuclear program or give up “the right” to modernize it. American officials have emphasized in statements for public consumption, although speaking on traditional diplomatic background, that large parts of Iran’s “nuclear infrastructure” will have to be “dismantled,” as opposed to simply disabled, as part of a final deal.Iranian officials have said publicly that only their nuclear program is on the agenda, not their larger military structure, and that they will not “dismantle” any part of their nuclear program or give up “the right” to modernize it. American officials have emphasized in statements for public consumption, although speaking on traditional diplomatic background, that large parts of Iran’s “nuclear infrastructure” will have to be “dismantled,” as opposed to simply disabled, as part of a final deal.
Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, in brief remarks, said that “we had three very productive days during which we have identified all the issues we need to address to reach a comprehensive and final agreement. There is a lot to do, it won’t be easy, but we have made a good start.”Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, in brief remarks, said that “we had three very productive days during which we have identified all the issues we need to address to reach a comprehensive and final agreement. There is a lot to do, it won’t be easy, but we have made a good start.”
A temporary, six-month deal to essentially freeze Iran’s program in return for modest relief from sanctions and the release of some frozen assets runs out July 20. The officials said they had planned meetings through the next four months, but wanted to leave the last month free, because negotiations tend to accelerate and intensify closer to deadlines. A temporary six-month deal to essentially freeze Iran’s program in return for modest relief from sanctions and the release of some frozen assets runs out July 20. The officials said they had planned meetings through the next four months, but wanted to leave the last month free, because negotiations tend to accelerate and intensify closer to deadlines.
“This is going to be both a marathon and a sprint at the same time,” the American official said. The six-month deal can be extended if both sides agree to.“This is going to be both a marathon and a sprint at the same time,” the American official said. The six-month deal can be extended if both sides agree to.
The Iranians also suggested that Ms. Ashton might make a visit to Iran before the March 17 meeting. Ms. Ashton leads the talks for the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — plus Germany.The Iranians also suggested that Ms. Ashton might make a visit to Iran before the March 17 meeting. Ms. Ashton leads the talks for the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — plus Germany.
The fate of these talks is a sensitive political and diplomatic topic for domestic audiences from the United States and Iran to Israel, France, Russia and China. Failure would produce more confrontation and the possibility of military action by the United States, which President Obama has made it clear he wants to avoid. The fate of these talks is a delicate political and diplomatic topic for domestic audiences from the United States and Iran to Israel, France, Russia and China. Failure would produce more confrontation and the possibility of military action by the United States, which President Obama has made it clear he wants to avoid.
Western officials and experts concede that Iran will have an enrichment program, but they want to constrain and control it to ensure that Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon quickly or undetected. They want some formula that limits the level of enrichment, that caps the stockpiles of enriched uranium; that dismantles or decommissions a large number of Iran’s centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium; removes the possibility of the heavy-water reactor producing plutonium; and allows a more intrusive level of inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that Iran has signed. Western officials and experts concede that Iran will have an enrichment program, but they want to constrain and control it to ensure that Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon quickly or undetected. They want some formula that limits the level of enrichment; caps the stockpiles of enriched uranium; dismantles or decommissions a large number of Iran’s centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium; removes the possibility that the heavy-water reactor will produce plutonium; and allows a more intrusive level of inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, signed by Iran.
The Western countries want to make sure that if Iran tries to race toward making a bomb, or “break out,” they will have notice of at least six months and ideally more than a year, so they can respond.The Western countries want to make sure that if Iran tries to race toward making a bomb, or “break out,” they will have notice of at least six months and ideally more than a year, so they can respond.
The West also has concerns about Iran’s missile program and its support for groups considered by Washington to be terrorist organizations, like Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Iran is also a staunch ally of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. But it is not clear how these concerns can be dealt with in the context of these talks. On missiles, for example — if Iran is finally judged not to have a nuclear weapons program, it will be difficult to establish a legal basis to constrain its missile development, which might require a new Security Council resolution that some countries are not likely to accept. The West also has concerns about Iran’s missile program and its support for groups considered by Washington to be terrorist organizations, like Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Iran is also a staunch ally of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. But it is not clear how these concerns can be dealt with in the context of these talks. On missiles, for example, if Iran is finally judged not to have a nuclear weapons program, it will be difficult to establish a legal basis to constrain its missile development, which might require a new Security Council resolution that some countries are not likely to accept.
Iran, for its part, wants crippling economic sanctions imposed upon it by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States removed, while preserving its dignity and what it calls its “right to enrich” and to have a peaceful nuclear program like other signatories of the N.P.T. Iran, for its part, wants crippling economic sanctions imposed upon it by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States removed, while preserving its dignity and what it calls its “right to enrich” and to have a peaceful nuclear program like other signatories of the nonproliferation treaty.
The senior American official cautioned that public statements by all sides made to domestic audiences might inevitably create political difficulties, but that both sides here had agreed to try to be “thoughtful” about comments that might hurt the chance of successful negotiations.The senior American official cautioned that public statements by all sides made to domestic audiences might inevitably create political difficulties, but that both sides here had agreed to try to be “thoughtful” about comments that might hurt the chance of successful negotiations.
The head of the American delegation, Wendy R. Sherman, will travel on Thursday from Vienna to brief allies in Jerusalem, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while telephoning other allies and key members of the United States Congress.The head of the American delegation, Wendy R. Sherman, will travel on Thursday from Vienna to brief allies in Jerusalem, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while telephoning other allies and key members of the United States Congress.