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| Iran nuclear talks set to resume | Iran nuclear talks set to resume |
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| LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Down-to-the-wire negotiations to restrict Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions were ready to kick off Sunday under the pressure of a self-imposed deadline only two weeks away. | LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Down-to-the-wire negotiations to restrict Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions were ready to kick off Sunday under the pressure of a self-imposed deadline only two weeks away. |
| Secretary of State John F. Kerry arrived in Lausanne Sunday evening and was expected meet later on with the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Members of the U.S. negotiating team, including Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, arrived earlier and were seen wandering the grounds of a luxury hotel where the talks will take place in this lakeside city near the border with France. | |
| After more than a decade of talks that gained momentum over the past year and a half, there is a last-chance feel to the latest round of talks, which have been stalled over the pace of sanctions relief, inspections and the size of Iran’s nuclear capacity. | After more than a decade of talks that gained momentum over the past year and a half, there is a last-chance feel to the latest round of talks, which have been stalled over the pace of sanctions relief, inspections and the size of Iran’s nuclear capacity. |
| The negotiations with Iran are being conducted by six world powers — the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany. They have said that they want a framework for an agreement by the end of March, leaving three months to work out some complex technical details. | The negotiations with Iran are being conducted by six world powers — the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany. They have said that they want a framework for an agreement by the end of March, leaving three months to work out some complex technical details. |
| Kerry said, though, in a CBS interview that aired Sunday that many of the technical differences already have been resolved. | Kerry said, though, in a CBS interview that aired Sunday that many of the technical differences already have been resolved. |
| “By and large, most of the differences now are political decisions that need to be made in order to fulfill the promise of proving to the world that a program is peaceful,” he said in the interview, conducted Saturday in Egypt, where he was attending a regional economic conference. | “By and large, most of the differences now are political decisions that need to be made in order to fulfill the promise of proving to the world that a program is peaceful,” he said in the interview, conducted Saturday in Egypt, where he was attending a regional economic conference. |
| Kerry added that Tehran, “to its credit, has thus far lived up to every part of the agreement we made over a year ago.” | Kerry added that Tehran, “to its credit, has thus far lived up to every part of the agreement we made over a year ago.” |
| The talks are being held against the backdrop of a political firestorm in Washington, after 47 Republicans sent an open letter to Iran’s leaders warning that Congress would not necessarily go along with the agreement and that a future president could overturn it. | The talks are being held against the backdrop of a political firestorm in Washington, after 47 Republicans sent an open letter to Iran’s leaders warning that Congress would not necessarily go along with the agreement and that a future president could overturn it. |
| [Read: Europeans criticize letter from GOP senators] | [Read: Europeans criticize letter from GOP senators] |
| Kerry said that a third extension of an interim agreement that has stalled some of Iran’s nuclear program is unlikely. | Kerry said that a third extension of an interim agreement that has stalled some of Iran’s nuclear program is unlikely. |
| “We believe very much that there is not anything that is going to change in April or May or June, that suggests that at that time, the decision you can’t make now will be made then,” he said. “If it’s peaceful, let’s get it done. My hope is that in the next days that will be possible.” | “We believe very much that there is not anything that is going to change in April or May or June, that suggests that at that time, the decision you can’t make now will be made then,” he said. “If it’s peaceful, let’s get it done. My hope is that in the next days that will be possible.” |
| Iran is keen on getting some relief on three separate sets of sanctions that have been imposed by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations. Zarif flies to Brussels on Monday to talk with E.U. officials. | Iran is keen on getting some relief on three separate sets of sanctions that have been imposed by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations. Zarif flies to Brussels on Monday to talk with E.U. officials. |
| Kerry is scheduled to be in Lausanne through Friday. If there is no agreement by then, the parties may break for the Persian New Year, beginning Friday night. If necessary, they could return next week and still meet their deadline. | Kerry is scheduled to be in Lausanne through Friday. If there is no agreement by then, the parties may break for the Persian New Year, beginning Friday night. If necessary, they could return next week and still meet their deadline. |
| In other remarks in the CBS interview, Kerry said that the United States is stepping up its diplomatic efforts “in a significant way” to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into negotiations that would end, or at least decrease, the bloodshed in a civil war that has taken 200,000 lives as it enters its fifth year. | In other remarks in the CBS interview, Kerry said that the United States is stepping up its diplomatic efforts “in a significant way” to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into negotiations that would end, or at least decrease, the bloodshed in a civil war that has taken 200,000 lives as it enters its fifth year. |
| “We have had conversations with a number of different critical players in this tragedy — and it is a tragedy,” Kerry said, though he did not elaborate with whom. “And we are working very hard with other interested parties to see if we can reignite a diplomatic outcome.” | “We have had conversations with a number of different critical players in this tragedy — and it is a tragedy,” Kerry said, though he did not elaborate with whom. “And we are working very hard with other interested parties to see if we can reignite a diplomatic outcome.” |
| Kerry said that the only solution to the strife in Syria is political, not militarily. | Kerry said that the only solution to the strife in Syria is political, not militarily. |
| “But to get the Assad regime to negotiate, we’re going to have to make it clear to him that there is a determination by everybody to seek that political outcome and change his calculation about negotiating. That’s underway right now. And I am convinced that, with the efforts of our allies and others, there will be increased pressure on Assad.” | “But to get the Assad regime to negotiate, we’re going to have to make it clear to him that there is a determination by everybody to seek that political outcome and change his calculation about negotiating. That’s underway right now. And I am convinced that, with the efforts of our allies and others, there will be increased pressure on Assad.” |
| Eventually, Kerry added, the United States will have to negotiate with the Assad regime. State Department officials said that would not necessarily mean negotiating with Assad himself. | |
| “Our policy has not changed,” deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said. “Tthere is no future for a brutal dictator like Assad in Syria, and we remain committed to pursuing all diplomatic avenues to negotiating a political solution. As the president and Secretary Kerry have said, Assad has lost all legitimacy, and his regime’s brutality against the Syrian people has helped violent extremists recruit support.” | |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| In Iran nuclear talks, it’s all in a name | In Iran nuclear talks, it’s all in a name |
| The misguided, condescending letter from Republican senators to Iran | The misguided, condescending letter from Republican senators to Iran |