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Iran nuclear talks in Geneva to continue into second day Iran nuclear talks in Geneva to continue into second day
(35 minutes later)
Negotiations in Geneva are due to go into a second day on Wednesday after the first "very detailed" technical discussions between Iran and major powers over Tehran's nuclear programme for years.Negotiations in Geneva are due to go into a second day on Wednesday after the first "very detailed" technical discussions between Iran and major powers over Tehran's nuclear programme for years.
After giving an hour-long PowerPoint presentation on its proposals to end the decade-old deadlock, the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, was due to meet the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, on Tuesday night to prepare for Wednesday's session, amid the first signs of real progress for at least four years. Iranian and US diplomats were holding face-to-face meetings last night after a day of multilateral talks in which Iran unveiled a PowerPoint presentation of proposals to end the decade-old deadlock. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, met the US undersecretary of state, Wendy Sherman, at an impromptu session while the foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, met the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.
Wednesday's session comes amid the first signs of real progress for at least four years.
No details of the Iranian presentation, titled "Closing an unnecessary crisis: Opening new horizons", were disclosed but it is thought to propose curbs on the Iranian programme in return for sanctions relief and international recognition of Iran's right to enrich uranium.No details of the Iranian presentation, titled "Closing an unnecessary crisis: Opening new horizons", were disclosed but it is thought to propose curbs on the Iranian programme in return for sanctions relief and international recognition of Iran's right to enrich uranium.
"For the first time, very detailed technical discussions continued this afternoon," said Ashton's spokesman, Michael Mann."For the first time, very detailed technical discussions continued this afternoon," said Ashton's spokesman, Michael Mann.
Zarif's deputy, Abbas Araqchi, said: "We believe our proposal has the capacity to make a breakthrough." Speaking to reporters after the Iran presentation, Araqchi said: "We believe our proposal has the capacity to make a breakthrough." He said the Iranian plan set out a timeline of six months to get to a deal. He said Iran hoped the next step – a new round of talks on the details of a deal – would take place within a month.
Araqchi said the Iranian plan set out a timeline of six months to get to a deal. He said Iran hoped the next step – a new round of talks on the details of a deal – would take place within a month.
Senior diplomats from the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China – who make up a negotiating group chaired by Ashton – were consulting with their capitals on a common response to the Iranian presentation.Senior diplomats from the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China – who make up a negotiating group chaired by Ashton – were consulting with their capitals on a common response to the Iranian presentation.
Unlike previous negotiations, the two days of talks in Geneva are being carried out in English, which Zarif and Araqchi speak fluently. Without the need for interpreters, the negotiations were moving at least twice as quickly as previous talks.Unlike previous negotiations, the two days of talks in Geneva are being carried out in English, which Zarif and Araqchi speak fluently. Without the need for interpreters, the negotiations were moving at least twice as quickly as previous talks.
After giving the PowerPoint presentation in the morning, Zarif retired to his hotel complaining of severe backache and telling reporters he was in to much pain to talk. He has said the condition was brought on by attacks by the conservative press in Tehran which he said had misquoted him as saying the recent thaw with the US was a mistake.After giving the PowerPoint presentation in the morning, Zarif retired to his hotel complaining of severe backache and telling reporters he was in to much pain to talk. He has said the condition was brought on by attacks by the conservative press in Tehran which he said had misquoted him as saying the recent thaw with the US was a mistake.
The twinges forced Zarif to lie down for much of the flight from Tehran to Geneva, on which he brought a doctor to help keep the pain under control. The backache was apparently not the only reminder of the pressures at home: according to one Iranian report, Zarif's delegation received a phone call from Tehran on Tuesday morning with last-minute changes to the Iranian proposal.The twinges forced Zarif to lie down for much of the flight from Tehran to Geneva, on which he brought a doctor to help keep the pain under control. The backache was apparently not the only reminder of the pressures at home: according to one Iranian report, Zarif's delegation received a phone call from Tehran on Tuesday morning with last-minute changes to the Iranian proposal.
Asked about the foreign minister's condition, Araqchi said: "He's not alright at all. He is suffering a lot." He said Zarif had gone back to the hotel but would not leave Geneva.Asked about the foreign minister's condition, Araqchi said: "He's not alright at all. He is suffering a lot." He said Zarif had gone back to the hotel but would not leave Geneva.
Before the talks began, a senior US official said the aim was to make progress towards an interim confidence-building deal that would defuse tensions and buy time for a more comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear standoff.Before the talks began, a senior US official said the aim was to make progress towards an interim confidence-building deal that would defuse tensions and buy time for a more comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear standoff.
The official said Araqchi's announcement days before Geneva that Iran would not contemplate shipping out enriched uranium as part of a deal was not a critical problem. "There's a variety of ways of dealing with that," she said.The official said Araqchi's announcement days before Geneva that Iran would not contemplate shipping out enriched uranium as part of a deal was not a critical problem. "There's a variety of ways of dealing with that," she said.
"To get to a comprehensive agreement is very, very difficult with highly technical issues that have to be resolved. We are looking for a confidence-building step that will put some time on the clock," the official said. "The aim is to rebuild trust … to constrain the programme and even take it back a notch.""To get to a comprehensive agreement is very, very difficult with highly technical issues that have to be resolved. We are looking for a confidence-building step that will put some time on the clock," the official said. "The aim is to rebuild trust … to constrain the programme and even take it back a notch."
She pointed to the fact that the US delegation included financial experts as evidence that Washington was ready to talk about scaling down sanctions in response to Iranian concessions. "If they are ready to go, we are ready to go," she said.She pointed to the fact that the US delegation included financial experts as evidence that Washington was ready to talk about scaling down sanctions in response to Iranian concessions. "If they are ready to go, we are ready to go," she said.
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