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Kerry and Iran Counterpart Scrambling as Monday Deadline Looms in Nuclear Talks Kerry and Iran Counterpart Scrambling as Monday Deadline Looms in Nuclear Talks
(about 1 hour later)
VIENNA — Iranian news agencies reported Friday that Iran’s foreign minister, the chief negotiator in the nuclear talks here, was returning to Tehran to seek further instructions from his leaders, as negotiators struggled to meet a Monday deadline for an accord. VIENNA — Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, canceled plans to leave the nuclear negotiations here Friday following marathon talks that lasted into the night.
The State Department announced soon afterward that Secretary of State John Kerry also was leaving. He was expected to stay in Paris until the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, returned to Vienna on Saturday night or Sunday, according to Western diplomats involved in the negotiations. Iranian news agencies had reported that Mr. Zarif, the chief negotiator in the negotiations, was returning to Tehran to seek further instructions, as negotiators struggled to meet a Monday deadline for an accord.
But their departures were delayed as Mr. Kerry planned to meet Friday night with Mr. Zarif for the third time in two days, a meeting that also was expected to include Catherine Ashton, the envoy to the talks from the European Union. The State Department announced soon afterward that Secretary of State John Kerry also was leaving, and Western diplomats said he would return when Mr. Zarif returned. But the departures of both were delayed as Mr. Kerry met Friday night with Mr. Zarif for the third time in two days. Catherine Ashton, the envoy to the talks from the European Union, was expected to join the meeting.
Earlier on Friday, the State Department said Mr. Kerry would travel to Paris in the evening for “consultations with his European counterparts about the ongoing Iranian nuclear negotiations,” Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, said in a statement. “He will also stay in close touch with his interagency colleagues in Washington.” “Secretary Kerry has delayed his departure from Vienna, Austria, in order to continue consultations with Foreign Minister Zarif, Baroness Ashton and the P5+1,” said Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, using the acronym for the six world powers that are negotiating with Iran.
“His future travel schedule is still being finalized, and we have not yet determined when he will return to Vienna,” she added. It was unclear whether the changing plans signaled progress.
A Western diplomat, who asked not to be identified because the official was discussing delicate negotiations, said that the United States had anticipated for several days that Mr. Zarif would return to Tehran.
The language in Ms. Psaki’s statement suggested that Mr. Kerry would determine whether Mr. Zarif had been given more latitude by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before committing to return to Vienna for what would presumably be the last stages of the negotiating round.
On Friday morning, Mr. Kerry held a three-way meeting with Mr. Zarif and Ms. Ashton. American officials did not disclose whether any headway had been made at that meeting, which followed a similar discussion Mr. Kerry had with the two officials last night.On Friday morning, Mr. Kerry held a three-way meeting with Mr. Zarif and Ms. Ashton. American officials did not disclose whether any headway had been made at that meeting, which followed a similar discussion Mr. Kerry had with the two officials last night.
After his meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mr. Kerry consulted with Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, and Philip Hammond, the British foreign secretary, on the next steps in the talks.After his meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mr. Kerry consulted with Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, and Philip Hammond, the British foreign secretary, on the next steps in the talks.
The negotiations in Vienna involve senior diplomats from Iran, the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China.The negotiations in Vienna involve senior diplomats from Iran, the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China.
The hope for American officials is that a successful negotiation will ease tensions with Tehran, discourage other nations in the region from pursuing nuclear arms and enhance the Obama administration’s legacy on foreign policy.The hope for American officials is that a successful negotiation will ease tensions with Tehran, discourage other nations in the region from pursuing nuclear arms and enhance the Obama administration’s legacy on foreign policy.
The negotiations are being watched with a wary eye by leaders in Israel and in Saudi Arabia and by many American lawmakers, all of whom fear that a new accord would allow Iran to maintain too much of its nuclear infrastructure and potential bomb-making capacity.The negotiations are being watched with a wary eye by leaders in Israel and in Saudi Arabia and by many American lawmakers, all of whom fear that a new accord would allow Iran to maintain too much of its nuclear infrastructure and potential bomb-making capacity.
Talks last year in Geneva to draft an interim agreement to freeze much of Iran’s nuclear program went down to the wire, and the two sides may be engaging in similar brinkmanship here in Vienna.Talks last year in Geneva to draft an interim agreement to freeze much of Iran’s nuclear program went down to the wire, and the two sides may be engaging in similar brinkmanship here in Vienna.
There were no indications that the two sides had succeeded in resolving their differences over how many centrifuges Iran would be allowed to have for the enrichment of uranium, how long an accord might last and how fast sanctions might be lifted, among other key issues.There were no indications that the two sides had succeeded in resolving their differences over how many centrifuges Iran would be allowed to have for the enrichment of uranium, how long an accord might last and how fast sanctions might be lifted, among other key issues.
During a trip to Latvia earlier this week, Mr. Hammond said he was not optimistic that a comprehensive agreement could be finalized by Monday, but he expressed the hope that there might yet be “some significant movement” that would warrant a second extension this year of the negotiating deadline.During a trip to Latvia earlier this week, Mr. Hammond said he was not optimistic that a comprehensive agreement could be finalized by Monday, but he expressed the hope that there might yet be “some significant movement” that would warrant a second extension this year of the negotiating deadline.
At a news conference in Paris on Thursday, Mr. Kerry sought to justify the drawn-out nature of the negotiations.At a news conference in Paris on Thursday, Mr. Kerry sought to justify the drawn-out nature of the negotiations.
“It was only last year when our nations first resumed high-level contact after decades of stalled relations,” he said. “Work also had to be done during that time with our European partners.”“It was only last year when our nations first resumed high-level contact after decades of stalled relations,” he said. “Work also had to be done during that time with our European partners.”
American officials have been reluctant to talk publicly about extending the deadline because of concerns that such a move would ease the pressure on Iran to make hard decisions. But it has become increasingly unlikely that any accord announced on Monday would be a complete one.American officials have been reluctant to talk publicly about extending the deadline because of concerns that such a move would ease the pressure on Iran to make hard decisions. But it has become increasingly unlikely that any accord announced on Monday would be a complete one.
“We are driving toward what we believe is the outline of an agreement that we think we can have,” Mr. Kerry said Thursday.“We are driving toward what we believe is the outline of an agreement that we think we can have,” Mr. Kerry said Thursday.