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Kerry Renews Effort to Reach Preliminary Nuclear Deal With Iran Iran Nuclear Talks Are Extended for Another Day
(about 9 hours later)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Secretary of State John Kerry renewed his push on Wednesday to secure a preliminary accord that would limit Iran’s nuclear program, a day after negotiators extended the March 31 deadline. LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday night for what diplomats said could be a series of pivotal sessions as the United States and its negotiating partners sought to secure a preliminary accord to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
With the diplomacy at a pivotal point, President Obama convened a teleconference on Tuesday night with Mr. Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and other top members of the administration to review the status of the negotiations. Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said before the meetings that the Iranians were expected to present “new recommendations” on how to bridge the gaps that have been holding up the accord.
As the talks resumed here on Wednesday, an initial accord was potentially within reach but there was still much to work out. Nobody was ruling out the possibility that the negotiations — which also involve Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — might be extended into the week. As the talks appeared headed toward a potential moment of decision, Mr. Kerry and Mr. Steinmeier decided to extend their stay here another day.
“Fingers crossed, and we hope to get there during the course of the day,” Philip Hammond, Britain’s foreign secretary, told reporters. In another sign that the talks were intensifying, Laurent Fabius, France’s foreign minister, was flying here from Paris, Agence France-Presse reported.
“I think we have a broad framework of understanding, but there are still some key issues that have to be worked through,” Mr. Hammond added. “Some of them are quite detailed and technical, so there is still quite a lot of work to do; but we are on it now and we’ll keep going at it.” “Naturally, whoever negotiates has to accept the risk of collapse,” Mr. Steinmeier told reporters. “But I say that in light of the convergence that we have achieved here in Switzerland, in Lausanne, it would be irresponsible to ignore possibility of reaching an agreement.”
Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman, confirmed that Mr. Kerry was staying on to give the diplomacy another try.
“We continue to make progress but have not reached a political understanding,” she said. “Therefore, Secretary Kerry will remain in Lausanne until at least Thursday morning to continue the negotiations.”
Mr. Kerry met one-on-one with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, on Wednesday, followed by larger sessions that included the two foreign ministers and a senior European Union diplomat, Helga Schmid.
The talks have been snagged by disputes over how sort of research should be permitted on advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium and the pace of sanctions relief, especially those imposed by the United Nations, among other issues. Another issue in dispute has been whether a preliminary should spell out specific limits, as the United States has insisted, or be more general, as Iran has preferred.
Heading toward the meetings, Mr. Zarif repeated a often used talking point, insisted that Iran was showing flexibility and that was up to United States and its partners to reciprocated.
“Our friends need decide whether they want to be with Iran based on respect or whether they want to continue based on pressure,” Mr. Zarif said. “They have tested the other one; it is high time to test this one”
Before the talks were extended, the Obama administration had been struggling to meet what was essentially a self-imposed deadline for an initial accord that would outline the main elements of an agreement.Before the talks were extended, the Obama administration had been struggling to meet what was essentially a self-imposed deadline for an initial accord that would outline the main elements of an agreement.
The administration’s calculation is that a preliminary accord would lay the foundation for a comprehensive agreement to be completed by the end of June.The administration’s calculation is that a preliminary accord would lay the foundation for a comprehensive agreement to be completed by the end of June.
It would also, the White House hopes, let the administration make a stronger case against American lawmakers who have been pressing for additional economic sanctions on Iran.It would also, the White House hopes, let the administration make a stronger case against American lawmakers who have been pressing for additional economic sanctions on Iran.
But lawmakers are not scheduled to return from their recess until mid-April. The Obama administration’s hopes of winning its battle with Congress will depend more on what concrete agreements are reached here, and what issues are put off for further talks with the Iranians, than on whether a preliminary accord is settled on Wednesday or over the next week or two.But lawmakers are not scheduled to return from their recess until mid-April. The Obama administration’s hopes of winning its battle with Congress will depend more on what concrete agreements are reached here, and what issues are put off for further talks with the Iranians, than on whether a preliminary accord is settled on Wednesday or over the next week or two.
Apart from the complexity of the nuclear issues, the talks have been complicated by clashing agendas for the United States and Iran.Apart from the complexity of the nuclear issues, the talks have been complicated by clashing agendas for the United States and Iran.
The Obama administration, for example, has been eager to impose specific limits on Iran’s nuclear program as soon as possible to buttress its argument to Congress. It also wants any sanctions relief to be carried out in phases to help ensure that Iran meets its obligations.The Obama administration, for example, has been eager to impose specific limits on Iran’s nuclear program as soon as possible to buttress its argument to Congress. It also wants any sanctions relief to be carried out in phases to help ensure that Iran meets its obligations.
Iran’s negotiators, however, have demanded that sanctions relief be provided up front, and they have resisted the formalization of stringent limits in a preliminary accord.Iran’s negotiators, however, have demanded that sanctions relief be provided up front, and they have resisted the formalization of stringent limits in a preliminary accord.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said on Wednesday that he expected Iran and other negotiators to issue “a press statement” later in the day that would “announce progress in the negotiations.”Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said on Wednesday that he expected Iran and other negotiators to issue “a press statement” later in the day that would “announce progress in the negotiations.”
“It will announce that we have managed to find solutions for key issues,” he told Iranian television. “Then we will start to write down the solutions.”“It will announce that we have managed to find solutions for key issues,” he told Iranian television. “Then we will start to write down the solutions.”
On Wednesday morning, Mr. Kerry met with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, in a negotiating session that also included their British and German counterparts. The French, Russia and Chinese foreign ministers have left the now prolonged negotiations, and their nations were represented by lower-ranking officials.
It was the seventh straight day that Mr. Kerry had met with Mr. Zarif during the current negotiating round. Mr. Moniz also met on Wednesday morning with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization.
Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, told reporters on Tuesday that a deal was virtually in hand and that a general understanding had been reached on “all key aspects.”Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, told reporters on Tuesday that a deal was virtually in hand and that a general understanding had been reached on “all key aspects.”
But Mr. Lavrov made similarly upbeat comments on Monday before the State Department announced that the talks had been extended and that “several difficult issues” remained.But Mr. Lavrov made similarly upbeat comments on Monday before the State Department announced that the talks had been extended and that “several difficult issues” remained.
In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called the negotiations and the possibility of a deal “unconscionable” in light of Iran’s continuing activities in the Middle East and statements against Israel.
Citing an Iranian general who was quoted on Tuesday as having said that Iran’s commitment to Israel’s destruction was “nonnegotiable,” Mr. Netanyahu said, “Evidently, giving Iran’s murderous regime a clear path to the bomb is negotiable — this is unconscionable.”
Mr. Netanyahu met Wednesday afternoon with Speaker John A. Boehner, the Ohio Republican who organized the Israeli prime minister’s speech against a possible nuclear deal in Congress last month.