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NUKEWARS
US, Iran lay ground for nuclear talks extension
by Staff Writers
Vienna (AFP) July 15, 2014


Extension of Iran talks deadline 'highly probable': diplomat
Vienna (AFP) July 15, 2014 - An extension of Sunday's deadline to strike a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is now "highly probable," and by months not weeks, a Western diplomat said Tuesday.

"As it's highly improbable that we will finalise in Vienna before the weekend, it is highly probable that there will be a wish to continue to negotiate in the coming months," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity on the sidelines of talks in Vienna.

Just extending "by weeks doesn't make much sense," the envoy said. "It is soon August ... There will have to be a break."

He added that following two days of intensive talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry -- who has now left Vienna -- and his Iranian counterpart, all focus was now on the terms of the extension.

This could even be agreed before the weekend, he said.

"We hope to have left here before (the weekend)... since we are talking about a rollover."

He added that there had been some progress in the talks, but that on the key issue of uranium enrichment, Iran's position has shifted "very, very, very little".

"We cannot say that things are going in the wrong direction, they are going pretty much in the right direction. But on the biggest and most difficult issue (enrichment), we are still far apart," he said.

US needs to break 'deadlock' in nuclear talks: Iran FM
Tehran (AFP) July 15, 2014 - Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday the United States must take political decisions to end the current "deadlock" at talks in Vienna over his country's disputed nuclear programme.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, quoted by the official IRNA news agency, said such decisions were needed "to see what the solutions are" and to decide "what solution can pave the way towards an agreement".

Zarif's comments came after more signs that the negotiations between Iran and six world powers are a long way from reaching a deal by the July 20 deadline.

His remarks were released just before US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in the Austrian city that Iran's nuclear capacity must be cut, a step that Tehran has repeatedly ruled out.

Despite the impasse, American and Iranian diplomats have said they remain focused on a deal to resolve the decade-long standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions, which the West suspects mask a drive for the bomb.

Iran insists its enrichment of uranium is for entirely peaceful purposes in the form of nuclear power.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart laid the groundwork Tuesday for an extension of a Sunday deadline to strike a historic nuclear deal after intense talks in Vienna.

A Western diplomat went as far as to say that it was now "highly probable" Iran and world powers would agree to such a move, and that the extension would be months not weeks.

"As it's highly improbable that we will finalise in Vienna before the weekend, it is highly probable that there will be a wish to continue to negotiate in the coming months," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

After a decade of rising tensions, the mooted accord between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany is aimed at easing concerns that Iran might develop nuclear weapons and silencing talk of war.

Kerry said he would return to Washington to discuss with President Barack Obama "the prospects for a comprehensive agreement, as well as a path forward if we do not achieve one by the 20th of July, including the question of whether or not more time is warranted".

He told a news conference after two days of talks with Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif that there had been "tangible progress on key issues, and we had extensive conversations in which we moved on certain things", although "very real gaps" persisted between the two sides.

Zarif, in a separate news conference, said that although he still hopes a deal would be possible by Sunday, he believed enough progress has been made to justify a continuation.

"As we stand now, we have made enough headway to be able to tell our political bosses that this is a process worth continuing," Zarif said. "This is my recommendation. I am sure Secretary Kerry will make the same recommendation."

An interim accord struck in November between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany expires on July 20.

Extending the deadline has always been a possibility in order to keep the parties talking, but Washington in particular has stressed it will not agree to such a move without key concessions from Iran first.

- Intense domestic pressure -

Iran denies seeking the atomic bomb and wants the lifting of crippling UN and Western sanctions.

The six powers want Iran to dramatically reduce in scope its nuclear programme for a lengthy period of time and agree to more intrusive UN inspections.

This would greatly expand the time needed for the Islamic republic to develop a nuclear weapon, should it choose to do so, while giving the world ample warning of any such "breakout" push.

Iran on the other hand has stated it wants to expand its nuclear facilities, insisting they are for purely peaceful purposes and that it has the perfect right to nuclear activities under international treaties.

Both sides are also under intense pressure from hardliners at home -- midterm US elections are due in November -- and both are wary of giving too much away after several months of talks.

- 'Innovative proposal' -

The key sticking point is uranium enrichment.

This activity can produce fuel for the country's sole nuclear plant or, if further enriched, the material for an atomic bomb.

Zarif however outlined a possible compromise in an interview with the New York Times published on Tuesday.

This "innovative proposal" would see Iran essentially freeze its enrichment capacities at current levels for between three and seven years.

But Kerry stuck to his guns on Tuesday, saying that nothing short of a reduction in Iran's enrichment capacities was acceptable.

"We have made it crystal clear that the 19,000 (centrifuge enrichment machines) that are currently part of their programme is too many," Kerry said.

The Western diplomat said that Iran's position on enrichment has in fact shifted "very, very, very little" during the recent months of talks.

"An extension appears inevitable at this stage. The parties are neither prepared to sign the dotted line nor to walk away," Ali Vaez, International Crisis Group analyst, told AFP.

.


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Ministers fail to broker Iran talks breakthrough
Vienna (AFP) July 13, 2014
Western foreign ministers appeared Sunday to have failed in their mission to inject momentum into talks with Iran in Vienna, seven days before the deadline to strike a momentous nuclear deal. The talks were set to continue, however, with US Secretary of State John Kerry remaining in the Austrian capital for further discussions on Monday. The sought-after accord is aimed at killing off on ... read more


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