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Iran Nuclear Talks Need ‘Intensive Work,’ Envoys Say Nuclear Talks With Iran Need ‘Intensive Work,’ Envoys Say
(about 5 hours later)
Iran and the group of six major powers negotiating a permanent agreement to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute concluded a two-day round of talks in Vienna on Wednesday, asserting that “a lot of intensive work” remained to complete a draft accord by their self-imposed deadline in three months.Iran and the group of six major powers negotiating a permanent agreement to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute concluded a two-day round of talks in Vienna on Wednesday, asserting that “a lot of intensive work” remained to complete a draft accord by their self-imposed deadline in three months.
The lead negotiators, the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Catherine Ashton, the top foreign policy official of the European Union, made the assertion in a joint statement that said the next round of talks would be held May 13. The statement suggested that both sides were still struggling with extensive disagreements and described the further negotiations as an attempt to “bridge the gaps in all the key areas.”The lead negotiators, the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Catherine Ashton, the top foreign policy official of the European Union, made the assertion in a joint statement that said the next round of talks would be held May 13. The statement suggested that both sides were still struggling with extensive disagreements and described the further negotiations as an attempt to “bridge the gaps in all the key areas.”
The talks took place against rising tensions surrounding Iran’s estranged relations with the West, punctuated by new flare-ups with both the United States and European Union on nonnuclear issues. The Americans have objected to Iran’s choice for a new United Nations ambassador, contending that he participated in the seizure of American hostages in Tehran in 1979. Iran has expressed anger at European criticism of the country’s human rights record. The talks took place against rising tensions surrounding Iran’s estranged relations with the West, punctuated by new flare-ups with both the United States and the European Union on nonnuclear issues. The Americans have objected to Iran’s choice for a new United Nations ambassador, contending that he participated in the seizure of American hostages in Tehran in 1979. Iran has expressed anger at European criticism of the country’s human rights record.
The tensions have been further complicated by the crisis in Ukraine, which has alienated the West from Russia, a member of the six-nation group negotiating with Iran, raising questions about Russia’s commitment to the success of the nuclear talks. The other five members of the group are Britain, China, France, Germany and the United States.The tensions have been further complicated by the crisis in Ukraine, which has alienated the West from Russia, a member of the six-nation group negotiating with Iran, raising questions about Russia’s commitment to the success of the nuclear talks. The other five members of the group are Britain, China, France, Germany and the United States.
The group reached a six-month agreement with Iran in November that took effect Jan. 20 and under which Iran suspended some nuclear activities in exchange for modest relief from sanctions imposed by the West that have impaired Iran’s economy. The temporary accord was designed to give negotiators more time to complete a permanent agreement — meaning they are hoping to achieve that goal by July 20. The group reached a six-month agreement with Iran in November that took effect Jan. 20 and under which Iran suspended some nuclear activities in exchange for modest relief from sanctions imposed by the West that have impaired Iran’s economy. The temporary accord was intended to give negotiators more time to complete a permanent agreement — meaning they are hoping to achieve that goal by July 20.
The permanent agreement is aimed at allaying foreign concerns that Iran will build atomic bombs with the enriched uranium from thousands of centrifuges it has constructed over the years, or from plutonium that can be harvested from a heavy-water reactor it has been building. Iran has repeatedly denied that it wants nuclear weapons but insists that it will never relinquish the right to nuclear power and technology. The permanent agreement is aimed at allaying foreign concerns that Iran will build atomic bombs with the enriched uranium from centrifuges it has constructed over the years, or from plutonium that can be harvested from a heavy-water reactor it has been building. Iran has repeatedly denied that it wants nuclear weapons but insists that it will never relinquish the right to nuclear power and technology.
That theme was reinforced on Wednesday in Iran, where the conclusion of the talks in Vienna coincided with the celebration of the annual National Nuclear Day, held to exalt Iran’s indigenous nuclear advances. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, used the occasion to denounce what he called longstanding American malevolence toward Iran and asserted that the Iranian nuclear program would never be curtailed.That theme was reinforced on Wednesday in Iran, where the conclusion of the talks in Vienna coincided with the celebration of the annual National Nuclear Day, held to exalt Iran’s indigenous nuclear advances. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, used the occasion to denounce what he called longstanding American malevolence toward Iran and asserted that the Iranian nuclear program would never be curtailed.
The official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the ayatollah as saying that the “camp of arrogance” — a reference to the United States and its allies — had used the nuclear issue “as a pretext to forge lies and raise hues and cries against the Islamic Republic.” He made the remarks at a reception with officials of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. The official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the ayatollah as saying that the “camp of arrogance” — a reference to the United States and its allies — had used the nuclear issue “as a pretext to forge lies and raise hues and cry against the Islamic republic.” He made the remarks at a reception with officials of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.