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At deadline, Iran nuclear talks shift to efforts at keeping negotiations alive Iran nuclear talks extended for 7 months amid impasse ahead of deadline
(35 minutes later)
VIENNA — Nuclear talks with Iran will be extended for seven months after intense negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive accord but appeared to make encouraging headway, diplomats said Monday.VIENNA — Nuclear talks with Iran will be extended for seven months after intense negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive accord but appeared to make encouraging headway, diplomats said Monday.
The new target of June 30 — set just hours before the expiration of a midnight Monday deadline — came after negotiators agreed to move toward the “basic principles” of an accord, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose nation is among the six nations in talks with Iran. The new target of June 30 — set just hours before the expiration of a midnight Monday deadline — came after negotiators agreed to move toward the “basic principles” of an accord, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose nation is among the six world powers in talks with Iran.
“Substantial progress was made,” Lavrov said to the TASS news agency.“Substantial progress was made,” Lavrov said to the TASS news agency.
Despite the failure to find common ground before Monday’s deadline, the extension was framed by diplomats as a chance to build on momentum achieved in the latest round and concentrate on working out specific ways to implement and enforce a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program.Despite the failure to find common ground before Monday’s deadline, the extension was framed by diplomats as a chance to build on momentum achieved in the latest round and concentrate on working out specific ways to implement and enforce a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
But the missed deadline also could give a boost to critics of the deal-making in both Tehran and Washington.But the missed deadline also could give a boost to critics of the deal-making in both Tehran and Washington.
“We have had to conclude it is not possible to get to an agreement by the deadline that was set for today and therefore we will extend the (interim agreement) to June 30, 2015,” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters “We have had to conclude it is not possible to get to an agreement by the deadline that was set for today, and therefore we will extend the [interim agreement] to June 30, 2015,” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters.
Lavrov predicted the overall framework would be reached in three or four months, and technical details would be worked out in the remaining time. Lavrov predicted that the overall framework would be reached in three or four months, and technical details would be worked out in the remaining time.
As early as Sunday, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, agreed to open discussions on continuing the talks past the target date.As early as Sunday, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, agreed to open discussions on continuing the talks past the target date.
Details of the apparent strides made in the latest round were not immediately disclosed. But the consensus to push forward on a quick timetable suggests some important gaps may have closed. Details of the apparent strides made in the latest round were not immediately disclosed. But the consensus to push forward on a quick timetable suggests that some important gaps may have closed.
The issues have mostly centered on international economic sanctions and the extent of Iran’s nuclear fuel production.The issues have mostly centered on international economic sanctions and the extent of Iran’s nuclear fuel production.
Iran seeks to have the sanctions significantly ease in exchanged for concessions, but insists it will not give up the ability to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel. Iran seeks to have the sanctions significantly eased in exchange for concessions, but it insists it will not give up the ability to enrich uranium to make fuel for nuclear power plants and a medical research reactor.
The U.S. and allies want to limit Iran’s enrichment capabilities and step up international monitoring to ensure Iran does not move toward a nuclear weapon in the future. Iran claims it only seeks reactors for energy and medical applications. The United States and allies want to limit Iran’s enrichment capabilities and step up international monitoring to ensure that Iran does not move toward a nuclear weapon in the future. Iran claims that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes and that it does not want or need nuclear weapons, which the country’s supreme leader has declared to be forbidden by Islam.
In one possible step forward, Iran has reduced its stockpile of low-enriched uranium gas and taken other action to comply with an agreement reached last year with the United States and other world powers, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog group, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Monday. In one possible step forward, Iran has reduced its stockpile of low-enriched uranium gas and taken other action to comply with an agreement reached last year with the United States and other world powers, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog group, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Monday.
Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the extension was a welcome relief for members of Congress who suspected a deal was in the making without sufficient roadblocks to Iran’s possible path to build nuclear weapons. Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the extension was a welcome relief for members of Congress who suspected that a deal was in the making without sufficient roadblocks to Iran’s possible path to build nuclear weapons.
“There has been a real sense of foreboding that the administration was rushing too quickly,” Dubowitz said.“There has been a real sense of foreboding that the administration was rushing too quickly,” Dubowitz said.
Iran’s unwillingness to budge in the final week of talks, he added, “confirms congressional fears repeatedly expressed that Iran is just going to run out the clock.”Iran’s unwillingness to budge in the final week of talks, he added, “confirms congressional fears repeatedly expressed that Iran is just going to run out the clock.”
In Israel, meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the failure of world powers to reach an accord with Israel’s archfoe.In Israel, meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the failure of world powers to reach an accord with Israel’s archfoe.
Netanyahu urged the tough sanctions remain in place until a deal is in place that would “dismantle Iran’s capacity to make atomic bombs.” Netanyahu wants tough economic sanctions to remain in effect until a deal is in place that would “dismantle Iran’s capacity to make atomic bombs.”
“No deal is better than a bad deal. The deal that Iran was pushing for was terrible. A deal would have left Iran with the ability to enrich uranium for an atom bomb while removing the sanctions,” Netanyahu told the BBC. “No deal is better than a bad deal,” Netanyahu told the BBC. “The deal that Iran was pushing for was terrible. A deal would have left Iran with the ability to enrich uranium for an atom bomb while removing the sanctions.”
But Netanyahu added: “Israel is watching very carefully what is happening here, and Israel always – always – reserves the right to defend itself.” But Netanyahu added: “Israel is watching very carefully what is happening here, and Israel always — always — reserves the right to defend itself.”
The extension does not mean talks collapsed. Nevertheless, it was deeply disappointing for negotiators who had insisted until recent days that a final agreement was still possible. The extension does not mean that the talks collapsed. Nevertheless, it was deeply disappointing for negotiators who had insisted until recent days that a final agreement was still possible.
With talks moving into a new phase, there is the possibly of critics an all sides gaining added leverage. With talks moving into a new phase, critics on all sides could gain added leverage.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani now will face increased criticism from hard-liners who oppose making any deal with the United States and portray his efforts to get sanctions lifted as a futile quest. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani now appears likely to face increased criticism from hard-liners who oppose making any deal with the United States and who portray his efforts to get sanctions lifted as a futile quest.
In Washington, President Obama will confront a Congress controlled by Republicans in January that may resist any deal that eases the pressure on Tehran.In Washington, President Obama will confront a Congress controlled by Republicans in January that may resist any deal that eases the pressure on Tehran.
Iran has had a nuclear program since the 1950s, developed with the help of the United States before the 1979 revolution that ousted the Shah of Iran. Iran has had a nuclear program since the 1950s, developed with the help of the United States before the 1979 revolution that ousted the shah of Iran.
Now, it has about 10,000 working centrifuges and another 9,000 not yet in operation – far more than the hundreds Iran had more than a decade ago. Iran always has denied it wants to make nuclear weapons and signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970. Now, it has about 10,000 working centrifuges and another 9,000 not yet in operation — far more than the hundreds that Iran possessed more than a decade ago. Iran always has denied it wants to make nuclear weapons and signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970.
Iran maintains it must retain the capacity to enrich uranium to fuel power plants that have not yet been built, and views Western-imposed limits as an attempt to block Iran’s economic development. Iran maintains that it must retain the capacity to enrich uranium to fuel nuclear power plants that have not yet been built, and its leaders view Western-imposed limits as an attempt to block Iran’s economic development.
But many nations are skeptical, and want to prevent its ability to enrich uranium covertly. That is why the negotiators want monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to have wide-ranging access to Iran’s nuclear plants and labs, many of which already are under scrutiny. But many nations are skeptical and want to prevent Iran from being able to enrich uranium covertly. That is why the negotiators want monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to have wide-ranging access to Iran’s nuclear plants and labs, many of which already are under scrutiny.
But Iran has not given the IAEA all the access it wants, and the agency has said it cannot verify Iran is not enriching sanctions in secret. But Iran has not given the IAEA all the access it wants, and the agency has said it cannot verify that Iran is not enriching uranium in secret.
Murphy reported from Washington. Ruth Egland in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Washington. Ruth Eglash in Jerusalem contributed to this report.