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Significant gap remains in Iran nuclear talks - UK | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
There is still a “very significant gap” to close in nuclear negotiations between Iran and the west, the British foreign secretary has said, with high-level talks set to resume over the weekend after consultations in national capitals. | |
Philip Hammond was speaking as he left Vienna after four hours of talks with his American, European and Iranian counterparts. | |
The final round of talks over Iran’s nuclear programme began on Tuesday, looking to reach a deal under which Tehran would curb its nuclear work in exchange for a lifting of economically crippling sanctions. | |
The direction of the negotiations was in some confusion on Friday after Iranian officials announced that their foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, would be flying to Tehran for consultations, then said he would stay. | |
“It was decided he would go back, but then he changed his mind and he will stay here,” an Iranian official said, refusing to say whether the U-turn was a good or bad sign for a successful outcome. Other Iranian officials were quoted as saying Zarif would only fly to Tehran if presented with a significantly new offer at the talks. | |
A western diplomat described the mood on Friday as “sombre and serious” and said experts from both sides would stay in the Austrian capital over the weekend to examine the outstanding gaps “and see if they can be bridged”. | |
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, was due to fly to Paris on Friday evening, the state department said, as well as his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, while Hammond left for London. | |
“We have had a series of useful discussions,” Hammond said. “These are very complex issues and there is still a very significant gap between the parties. We’re all going to go away and have further technical discussions with our experts and we will resume again over the course of the weekend.” | |
A state department official said it had not been decided when Kerry would return to Vienna. Flying only as far as Paris allows him to return at short notice while continuing discussions with the French, who have been the most reluctant among the western nations at the talks to offer concessions to clinch a deal. | |
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and Kerry agreed extra efforts were needed to reach a deal by the self-imposed deadline of Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry said. | |
“The sides did not rule out the possibility of holding a ministerial meeting of the parties to the talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, if the prospect for progress appears,” the ministry said in a statement. | |
Earlier, Hammond had told reporters: “It’s clear that both sides want to get a deal done. But none of us want to do a bad deal and we’re very clear we have to get more flexibility from the Iranians. In return, we’re prepared to show some flexibility on our side. But time is short.” | |
He added: “The prize for Iran is huge. Access to very large amounts of frozen assets, the ability to trade freely with the world again, and the ability to reset relationships with the international community, so there is a huge prize on the table for Iran.” | |
Fabius urged Iran to seize the opportunity for an agreement. A comprehensive deal would bring to an end a 12-year standoff over Iran’s nuclear aspirations. |