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Latest Iran Talks End Without a Deal Latest Iran Talks End Without a Deal
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LAUSANNE, Switzerland — An intensive round of talks on limiting Iran’s nuclear program ended abruptly on Friday with the two sides still divided over some important issues. LAUSANNE, Switzerland — An intensive round of talks on limiting Iran’s nuclear program ended abruptly on Friday with the two sides still divided over some important issues.
American and Iranian negotiators have been trying to meet a March 31 deadline for drafting the outlines of an accord. Once that is done, a detailed, comprehensive agreement is to be completed by the end of June.American and Iranian negotiators have been trying to meet a March 31 deadline for drafting the outlines of an accord. Once that is done, a detailed, comprehensive agreement is to be completed by the end of June.
American officials said the talks would resume next week in Switzerland, probably on Thursday.American officials said the talks would resume next week in Switzerland, probably on Thursday.
In the meantime, Secretary of State John Kerry plans to meet in London on Saturday with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, which along with Russia and China are negotiating partners with the United States in the talks.In the meantime, Secretary of State John Kerry plans to meet in London on Saturday with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, which along with Russia and China are negotiating partners with the United States in the talks.
Mr. Kerry said on Friday that some progress had been made in the talks, which he has described as tough at times. In a statement he issued commemorating Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, Mr. Kerry called on Iran’s leadership to show the flexibility to bridge the remaining gaps.Mr. Kerry said on Friday that some progress had been made in the talks, which he has described as tough at times. In a statement he issued commemorating Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, Mr. Kerry called on Iran’s leadership to show the flexibility to bridge the remaining gaps.
“It is my sincere hope that if Iran’s leaders make the right choices, the necessary choices, in the ongoing nuclear talks, that this new year and this new spring will mark a better future both for the Iranian people and for the world,” Mr. Kerry said.“It is my sincere hope that if Iran’s leaders make the right choices, the necessary choices, in the ongoing nuclear talks, that this new year and this new spring will mark a better future both for the Iranian people and for the world,” Mr. Kerry said.
But Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of Iran, suggested in a Twitter message that it was up to the United States and its negotiating partners to make the concessions necessary to seal an accord.But Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of Iran, suggested in a Twitter message that it was up to the United States and its negotiating partners to make the concessions necessary to seal an accord.
“Iranians have already made their choice: Engage with dignity,” Mr. Zarif wrote. “It’s high time for the U.S. and its allies to chose: pressure or agreement.”“Iranians have already made their choice: Engage with dignity,” Mr. Zarif wrote. “It’s high time for the U.S. and its allies to chose: pressure or agreement.”
A number of difficult obstacles emerged during the latest round of talks here, including disagreements over what kinds of limits should be imposed on research and development of new types of centrifuges for enriching uranium. A number of difficult obstacles emerged during the latest round of talks here, including disagreements over what kinds of limits should be imposed on research and development of new types of centrifuges for enriching uranium. Another major impediment to an agreement has been differences over how quickly to suspend or remove sanctions that have been imposed on Iran by the United Nations Security Council, the United States and the European Union.
Another major impediment to an agreement has been differences over how quickly to suspend or remove sanctions that have been imposed on Iran by the United Nations Security Council, the United States and the European Union.
The round of talks in Switzerland was held in the same 19th-century luxury hotel where the Treaty of Lausanne was negotiated. That accord, signed in 1923, defined the boundaries of modern Turkey and formalized the end of the Ottoman Empire.The round of talks in Switzerland was held in the same 19th-century luxury hotel where the Treaty of Lausanne was negotiated. That accord, signed in 1923, defined the boundaries of modern Turkey and formalized the end of the Ottoman Empire.
On Friday morning, it initially appeared that the negotiations would continue here into the weekend, even though Saturday was the start of Nowruz. Arrangements were being discussed for Mr. Kerry to be joined at the talks by his European counterparts, Laurent Fabius of France, Philip Hammond of Britain and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany.On Friday morning, it initially appeared that the negotiations would continue here into the weekend, even though Saturday was the start of Nowruz. Arrangements were being discussed for Mr. Kerry to be joined at the talks by his European counterparts, Laurent Fabius of France, Philip Hammond of Britain and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany.
But some Iranian officials were notably unenthusiastic about that prospect, telling the Iranian media that it would be better if Western nations sorted out their positions among themselves before engaging with Iran.But some Iranian officials were notably unenthusiastic about that prospect, telling the Iranian media that it would be better if Western nations sorted out their positions among themselves before engaging with Iran.
Mr. Fabius, in particular, has been a subject of Iranian complaints. France has taken a firm position in the talks, and Iranian officials seemed concerned that he was pressing issues that had already been discussed with Mr. Kerry.
After it was reported that the 90-year-old mother of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran had died, the Iranian delegation made clear that it would be leaving on Friday. Hossein Fereydoun, Mr. Rouhani’s brother, is a member of the Iranian delegation, but he left for Tehran early in the day to attend the funeral.After it was reported that the 90-year-old mother of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran had died, the Iranian delegation made clear that it would be leaving on Friday. Hossein Fereydoun, Mr. Rouhani’s brother, is a member of the Iranian delegation, but he left for Tehran early in the day to attend the funeral.
Mr. Kerry offered his condolences, and American officials said Mr. Kerry would confer with Mr. Fabius, Mr. Hammond and Mr. Steinmeier in London instead of Lausanne.Mr. Kerry offered his condolences, and American officials said Mr. Kerry would confer with Mr. Fabius, Mr. Hammond and Mr. Steinmeier in London instead of Lausanne.
Before the Iranians left, there were several meetings involving top officials on both sides, including Mr. Kerry, Mr. Zarif, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.
When the talks resume, an important question will be what form an initial accord might take. The Obama administration would like to be able to use such an agreement to argue against any congressional moves to impose additional sanctions on Iran. So administration officials would prefer that an initial accord outline specific limits — what a senior American official this week called a “quantitative dimension.”When the talks resume, an important question will be what form an initial accord might take. The Obama administration would like to be able to use such an agreement to argue against any congressional moves to impose additional sanctions on Iran. So administration officials would prefer that an initial accord outline specific limits — what a senior American official this week called a “quantitative dimension.”
But the Iranians appear reluctant to treat an initial understanding as a formal agreement to be signed by each side. They appear to believe that to do so might codify their concessions, and swiftly attract criticism from hard-liners in Iran without yielding all of the benefits of a final comprehensive accord that is to be completed by the end of June.But the Iranians appear reluctant to treat an initial understanding as a formal agreement to be signed by each side. They appear to believe that to do so might codify their concessions, and swiftly attract criticism from hard-liners in Iran without yielding all of the benefits of a final comprehensive accord that is to be completed by the end of June.
“We made good progress,” Mr. Kerry said Friday, accenting the positive.“We made good progress,” Mr. Kerry said Friday, accenting the positive.
“There are one or two critical issues,” Mr. Zarif said, “and for the other issues, still one or two points remain to be resolved.”“There are one or two critical issues,” Mr. Zarif said, “and for the other issues, still one or two points remain to be resolved.”