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Kerry: Big, serious gaps remain in Iran nuclear talks; possible impasse hinted at Kerry: Big, serious gaps remain in Iran nuclear talks; possible impasse hinted at
(about 3 hours later)
VIENNA — Negotiators working to slow Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions on the country resumed talks Saturday and dropped hints that they were at an impasse with just two days left before a deadline for an accord. VIENNA — Negotiators working to slow Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions pressed forward with talks Saturday amid indications that they are at an impasse with two days left before a deadline for an accord.
In brief remarks before going into a closed-door meeting, Secretary of State John F. Kerry characterized the talks with Iran as “difficult” and marked by “serious gaps.” His German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the remaining time before Monday’s deadline as “the hours of truth.”In brief remarks before going into a closed-door meeting, Secretary of State John F. Kerry characterized the talks with Iran as “difficult” and marked by “serious gaps.” His German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the remaining time before Monday’s deadline as “the hours of truth.”
Before reporters were escorted out of the room, Kerry was overheard making small talk with Steinmeier, saying, “We’re stuck” and “We were ready to go.” Before reporters were escorted out of the room, Kerry was overheard making small talk with Steinmeier, saying “We’re stuck,” and “We were ready to go.”
On Friday, both Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced plans to leave Vienna for consultations, but they both ended up reversing themselves and holding a two-hour meeting instead. Zarif told the Iranian media that he did not consider the plan put forth by the United States and the five other nations that are its negotiating partners strong enough to run past Tehran. Although the context was not entirely clear, the offhand remarks seem to have been referring to the confusion that swirled around itineraries Friday. Both Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced plans to leave Vienna for consultations, Zarif to Tehran and Kerry to Paris. But they ended up staying put in Vienna to meet for over two hours. Zarif told the Iranian media that he did not consider the plan espoused by the United States and the five other nations that are its negotiating partners strong enough to run past Tehran.
Kerry acknowledged Saturday that the talks with Iran were a tough slog.Kerry acknowledged Saturday that the talks with Iran were a tough slog.
“We’re working hard,” he told reporters before meeting with Steinmeier, “and we hope we’re making careful progress. But we have big gaps, we still have some serious gaps, which we’re working to close.” “We’re working hard,” he told reporters, “We hope we’re making careful progress. But we have big gaps. We still have some serious gaps, which we’re working to close.”
Steinmeier, speaking in English, made reference to the ticking clock for Monday’s deadline, when an interim agreement reached a year ago freezing Iran’s nuclear program expires unless they extend it. Steinmeier made reference to the ticking clock leading up to Monday’s deadline, when an interim agreement that froze Iran’s nuclear program expires.
“This is the weekend, or these are the hours, of truth,” Steinmeier said. “We have to check now if Iran is really ready to move in the right direction. The only criterion for a deal about the nuclear issue . . . is the main question: if Iran is really ready to renounce every research development working in the direction of getting nuclear weapons.” “This is the weekend, these are the hours of truth,” Steinmeier said. “And we have to check now if Iran is really ready to move in the right direction. The only criterion for a deal about the nuclear issue . . . is the main question: If Iran is really ready to renounce every research development working in the direction of getting nuclear weapons.”
Kerry met with Zarif and the European Union representative, Catherine Ashton, on Saturday afternoon. Their remarks contributed to a sense of pessimism about the fate of the talks, which started more than a decade ago but picked up steam last year.
He spent the morning working the phones, speaking with foreign ministers from Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, and meeting with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. According to a Western diplomat, huge differences remain on sanctions relief and how much uranium-enrichment capacity Iran would be permitted.
Kerry also pointedly spoke Saturday afternoon with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has spoken out repeatedly against a deal with Iran that would leave it with any capacity to enrich uranium that might be used in making a nuclear weapon. The United States initially took the same stance, but long ago dropped it and is trying to get Iran to reduce its uranium-enriching centrifuges so it would take Iran at least a year to get enough material for a nuclear weapon. “It’s hard to see how, technically, they get there,” the diplomat said.
In Iran, there were signs that the approach taken by the negotiators is meeting some important approval. Nevertheless, the negotiators are discussing new ideas about how to breach the gap, and continue to “chip away” at areas of disagreement, according to the diplomat.
The Iranian armed forces chief of staff, Hassan Firouzabadi, praised the performance of the Iranian team in an interview posted Saturday by the Iranian news agency IRNA. Nobody wants to see the talks collapse, which could set off an escalation in a region already roiled by conflict. One possible scenario is that the two sides agree on principles and extend the interim accord so the experts can work out the details in coming weeks or months.
Firouzabadi described the talks as an opportunity and said that the American position in talks this month in Oman was “what the Zionist regime wanted them to say.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sounded one of the few notes of optimism in a tweet posted Saturday on his English language account: “If the parties in #IranTalks have necessary political will 4agreement, the condition will be ripe 4clininching a final agreement.”
With two days remaining before an interim agreement expires, negotiations are bedeviled by what the Iranians will concede and the demands of the six other nations conducting the talks. Kerry met Saturday afternoon for the fourth time in two days with Zarif and the European Union representative, Catherine Ashton.
The diplomats’ decision to keep working on the details of an agreement they can sell in their capitals engendered speculation and commentary on whether a deal can be reached by Monday — and if not, what that means for prospects between the West and Iran. He spent the morning working the phones, speaking with foreign ministers from Turkey, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and meeting with the French foreign minister. In between Kerry managed to make a quick visit to one of Vienna’s outdoor Christmas markets.
Nuclear negotiations were revived nearly three years ago but kicked into high gear only this year. Neither the Iranians nor the Americans are offering any significant accounting of their talks, an indication of how much is at stake. Pointedly, Kerry also called Israel to brief Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the talks progressing. Netanyahu has argued a deal that would leave Iran with any capacity to enrich uranium. The United States has modified its stance, and wants Iran to reduce its uranium-enriching centrifuges so it would take Iran at least a year to get enough material for a nuclear weapon. Iran has resisted, saying it wants the material for reactors still unbuilt, and they would be used for civilian purposes.
The issues have narrowed to several key points: the extent of Iran’s ability to make nuclear fuel, the level of U.N. monitoring, and how much Iran can expect to have international and U.S. economic sanctions eased in exchange for concessions. Iran has chafed at some of the proposed restrictions, a position driven as much by Iranian politics and dignity as by science.
The United States and its allies fear that Iran could use its uranium-enrichment labs to one day produce warhead-grade material. Iran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons and only wants to fuel reactors for energy and medical applications. The negotiators – the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany – want enough Iranian cutbacks to guarantee nonproliferation. They propose easing international and American sanctions against Iran temporarily and gradually so they can be resumed if Iraq acts covertly. Iran seeks sanctions relief that is more permanent and swift, in part so the deal cannot be undone by a GOP-led Congress.
The United States wants Iran to reduce its stockpiles of uranium and the centrifuges used to enrich it. The goal is to reduce the levels to the point where it would take a year or longer for Iran to enrich enough uranium to potentially build a nuclear bomb. But Iran wants more centrifuges to make fuel for nuclear reactors. In addition, it wants all sanctions lifted permanently and soon. And while Iran is willing to submit to monitoring of its nuclear program, it wants an end point a few years out. The six-nation negotiating team has proposed a much longer time frame.
The United States and its allies favor a gradual suspension of sanctions that could be slapped back into place if Iran cheats.
On Thursday, Iran’s nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, showed no signs of relenting, telling local reporters that Iran would increase its enrichment capacity to 20 times its current level within eight years.