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Nuclear negotiators take break after trading greetings on Persian new year Latest round of Iran nuclear talks end abruptly, slated to resume next week
(about 3 hours later)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The latest round of talks over Iran’s nuclear future wrapped up Friday with negotiators planning to resume discussions next week in a last-ditch effort to forge an agreement by a March 31 deadline. LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The latest round of talks over Iran’s nuclear future ended abruptly Friday with negotiators planning to resume discussions next week in a last-ditch effort to forge an agreement by a March 31 deadline.
The teams had been considering staying through Saturday. That would have included meetings with the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany. But those tentative plans were upended by the death on Friday of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s 90-year-old mother. The immediate explanation for the talks ending was that the Iranians had to return to Tehran for the funeral of Sekineh Payvandi, the 90-year-old mother of President Hassan Rouhan and his brother, Hossein Fereydoon, who is a member of the team negotiating Iran’s nuclear program with six world powers, including the United States.
The Iranian envoys planned to head to Tehran to attend her funeral, as well as celebrate the opening days of the Persian new year. Word of Payvandi’s death reached the negotiators Friday morning just before negotiations were to take place. The Iranian media carried many photographs of Secretary of State John F. Kerry, sympathy evident on his face, moving toward a clearly grief stricken Fereydoon, who appeared on the verge of tears over his mother’s death. Both men had their arms outstretched for a hug.
Rouhani’s brother, a member of the negotiating team, left Lausanne early Friday. The rest of the Iranian team is expected to leave later in the day. The photo of them in a near-embrace could pose problems for Rouhani from the hardliners who oppose him and the nuclear negotiations.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry plans to return to Washington on Saturday, stopping on the way to consult with the European allies. He said the nuclear talks would resume Wednesday. Earlier this year, when Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was photographed strolling across a bridge in Geneva with Kerry, hardliners accused Zarif of walking with the enemy.
It is unclear why the entire negotiating team had to leave for the funeral, apart from Fereydoon, who almost immediately flew to Tehran upon hearing of his mother’s death.
Initially, the talks had been scheduled to break Friday, anyway, so the Iranians could return home to celebrate the new year, Nowruz, one of the most important days in the Iranian calendar.
But despite some progress over four days of talks, many fundamental issues remain unresolved. So the negotiators had considered staying and continuing their talks through at least Saturday, when the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany were expected to come to Lausanne for consultations. Those tentative plans were upended by Payvandi’s death.
The United States, Europeans and the Iranians held some abbreviated discussions on Friday morning, their fifth day of trying to reach a framework agreement to constrain Iran’s nuclear program and ease sanctions.
Outside the negotiating room there was a traditional Nowruz table laden with sweets, stuffed animals and a pot of grass. The message seemed to be that even an important holiday like Nowruz would not deter the negotiators from their task.
Now, Kerry plans to return to Washington on Saturday, stopping in London to consult with the Europeans allies in the talks. He said the nuclear talks would resume Thursday.
“We’ve had a series of intensive discussions with Iran this week, and given where we are in the negotiations, it’s an important time for high-level consultations with our partners in these talks,” said Marie Harf, the State Department’s deputy spokesperson.“We’ve had a series of intensive discussions with Iran this week, and given where we are in the negotiations, it’s an important time for high-level consultations with our partners in these talks,” said Marie Harf, the State Department’s deputy spokesperson.
[One point of agreement: Fighting the Islamic State][One point of agreement: Fighting the Islamic State]
Kerry also spoke by phone with the foreign ministers of China and Russia, Harf said. That completes the group of five negotiating partners joining the United States in talks over a possible deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for easing international sanctions. Kerry also spoke by phone with the foreign ministers of China and Russia, the other two countries negotiating alongside the United States.
Negotiators seek a general framework by the self-imposed March 31 deadline, but many fundamental issues remain unresolved. Next week will be the final chance for negotiators to come up with a general agreement before their self-imposed deadline, leaving three months to work out technical details.
The West and its allies fear Iran’s uranium enrichment program could eventually produce material for a nuclear weapon. Iran insists it does not seek atomic arms, and only wants reactors for energy and medical applications. The West and its allies fear that Iran’s uranium enrichment program could eventually produce material for a nuclear weapon. Iran insists it does not seek nuclear arms, and only wants reactors for energy and medical applications.
Diplomats familiar with the negotiations say that they still have not settled on ways to assure that Iran’s nuclear program is used solely for peaceful purposes. Diplomats familiar with the negotiations say that they have not settled on ways to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is used solely for peaceful purposes.
For example, they haven’t even agreed on how many centrifuges Iran will be allowed to operate to enrich uranium. Also, it’s unclear whether Iran can use only centrifuges with outdated technology from the 1970s, or more efficient centrifuges developed by Iranian technicians but not yet in operation. For example, they haven’t even agreed on how many centrifuges Iran will be allowed to operate to enrich uranium, though discussions are centering on about 6,000. It’s also unclear whether Iran can use only centrifuges with outdated technology from the 1970s, or more efficient centrifuges developed by Iranian technicians but not yet in operation.
They also have not agreed on a number of non-proliferation measures, which are basis for most of the U.N. sanctions.
[Petraeus on the future challenges for the Middle East][Petraeus on the future challenges for the Middle East]
With those issues still unsettled, the United States and its negotiating partners have been reluctant to agree on the pace at which sanctions might be eased. Iran demands an immediate lifting of sanctions, said a U.S. official, while the other nations are insisting on a gradual pace linked to Iran’s willingness to open up its facilities to international inspections and comply with other elements of an agreement. Nor have they agreed on the pace at which sanctions might be lifted by the United States, the United Nations and the European Union. Iran demands an immediate lifting of sanctions, said a U.S. official, while the other nations are insisting on a gradual pace linked to Iran’s willingness to open up its facilities to international inspections and comply with other elements of an agreement.
This round of talks ended on the eve of the Persian new year, which offered a moment of extra outreach on both sides. President Obama and Kerry urged Iran’s leaders to strive for an agreement in the spirit of Nowruz.
The new year, known as Nowruz, was on everyone’s mind at the top of Friday’s first meeting. “It is my sincere hope that if Iran’s leaders make the right choices – the necessary choices – in the ongoing nuclear talks, that this new year and this new spring will mark a better future both for the Iranian people and for the world,” said Kerry.
Just outside the negotiating room was a table laden with sweets, stuffed animals and a pot holding grass, one of the traditional seven items used to mark the holiday. President Obama, in his annual videotaped Nowruz message, said this opportunity may not come again soon.
Kerry offered his condolences for the death of Rouhani’s mother, and extended new year’s greetings on behalf of the United States to the Iranian people.
“We want to wish the people of Iran . . . a Nowruz Mubarak,” Kerry said, using the Farsi greeting. “We hope this is a year that can bring us prosperity and peace.”
“Nowruz is the beginning of spring, and in Farsi it means “new day,’” Zarif responded. “I hope this new day will be a new day for the entire world — a new era of greater understanding and peace.”
President Obama, in his annual videotaped Nowruz message, urged the Iranian people and their leaders to seize the “historic opportunity” offered by the nuclear talks.”
[Decades of White House greetings for Nowruz][Decades of White House greetings for Nowruz]
If Iran’s leaders do not agree to a reasonable deal, Obama said, the country will remain isolated and sanctions will further squeeze its economy, which has suffered a double blow from falling oil prices.If Iran’s leaders do not agree to a reasonable deal, Obama said, the country will remain isolated and sanctions will further squeeze its economy, which has suffered a double blow from falling oil prices.
But if a deal can be forged, he said, Iranians will enter a world of more job opportunities, travel abroad and cultural exchanges.But if a deal can be forged, he said, Iranians will enter a world of more job opportunities, travel abroad and cultural exchanges.
“In other words, a nuclear deal now can help open the door to a brighter future for you — the Iranian people, who, as heirs to a great civilization, have so much to give to the world,” he said.“In other words, a nuclear deal now can help open the door to a brighter future for you — the Iranian people, who, as heirs to a great civilization, have so much to give to the world,” he said.
“This is what’s at stake today. And this moment may not come again soon. I believe that our nations have an historic opportunity to resolve this issue peacefully — an opportunity we should not miss. As the poet Hafez wrote, “It is early spring. Try to be joyful in your heart. For many a flower will bloom while you will be in clay.” “This is what’s at stake today. And this moment may not come again soon. I believe that our nations have an historic opportunity to resolve this issue peacefully — an opportunity we should not miss. As the poet Hafez wrote, ‘It is early spring. Try to be joyful in your heart. For many a flower will bloom while you will be in clay.’ ”
Kerry also issued a statement tying the nuclear talks to the hope symbolized by the Persian new year.Kerry also issued a statement tying the nuclear talks to the hope symbolized by the Persian new year.
“As I noted in my Nowruz greeting last year, the United States and Iran have endured many harsh winters,” he said in a message he also addressed to the Iranian people. “But now, with the coming of spring, we can all embrace this opportunity to move toward a better future.“As I noted in my Nowruz greeting last year, the United States and Iran have endured many harsh winters,” he said in a message he also addressed to the Iranian people. “But now, with the coming of spring, we can all embrace this opportunity to move toward a better future.
“It is my sincere hope that if Iran’s leaders make the right choices – the necessary choices – in the ongoing nuclear talks, that this new year and this new spring will mark a better future both for the Iranian people and for the world.”“It is my sincere hope that if Iran’s leaders make the right choices – the necessary choices – in the ongoing nuclear talks, that this new year and this new spring will mark a better future both for the Iranian people and for the world.”
The Iranians,, however, say the onus for the tough political decisions falls on Washington and its allies. The Iranians, however, say the onus for the tough political decisions falls on Washington and its allies.
Zarif tweeted a message in response to Obama’s Nowruz greeting, saying “Iranians have already their choice: Engage with dignity. It’s high time for the US and its allies to choose: pressure or agreement.” Zarif tweeted a message in response to Obama’s Nowruz greeting, saying “Iranians have already made their choice: Engage with dignity. It’s high time for the U.S. and its allies to choose: pressure or agreement.”
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