Iran nuke talks 鈥榩ositive鈥 despite fresh tensions
Print Edition
Russia said yesterday that the latest talks in Vienna to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal were positive despite fresh tensions, with Tehran preparing to ramp up uranium enrichment in response to an attack on a facility it blamed on arch-foe Israel.
The latest round of negotiations took place between diplomats over roughly two hours yesterday afternoon, with Russia鈥檚 ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov tweeting afterwards that the 鈥済eneral impression is positive.鈥
He added the talks 鈥渨ill be followed by a number of informal meetings in different formats, including at expert level.鈥
The talks comprised delegations from the remaining parties to the deal 鈥 Germany, France, Britain, China, Russia and Iran.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani re-stated the country鈥檚 long-standing position that 鈥渨e are not seeking to obtain the atomic bomb,鈥 saying it was a 鈥渕istake鈥 for Europe and the United States to express concern that Iran could 鈥渆nrich to 90 percent in one go.鈥
Tehran says the enrichment move is a response to Israel鈥檚 鈥渘uclear terrorism鈥 after an explosion on Sunday knocked out power at its Natanz enrichment plant.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement, but public radio reports in the country said it was a sabotage operation by the Mossad spy agency, citing unnamed intelligence sources.
Events of the past few days have also 鈥渞eminded both parties that the status quo is a lose-lose situation,鈥 and have 鈥渁dded urgency鈥 to the talks, said Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group think tank.
鈥淚t is clear that the more the diplomatic process drags on, the higher the risk that it gets derailed by saboteurs and those acting in bad faith,鈥 he added.
Known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the deal has been disintegrating since former US President Donald Trump dramatically withdrew from it in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, prompting Iran to retaliate by exceeding its agreed limits on nuclear activity.
The Biden administration, while agreeing on the JCPOA鈥檚 value, has stressed that it is waiting for Iran to first roll back steps away from compliance that it took to protest Trump鈥檚 sanctions.
An American delegation is attending the talks 鈥渋ndirectly,鈥 staying at a separate hotel.
Washington is 鈥渧ery open-eyed about how this will be a long process,鈥 White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 happening through indirect discussions, but we still feel that it is a step forward.鈥
The UN鈥檚 International Atomic Energy Agency said its inspectors visited the site at Natanz for 鈥渧erification and monitoring activities鈥 on Wednesday, and that Iran had 鈥渁lmost completed preparations鈥 to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Natanz attack had unleashed a 鈥渄angerous spiral鈥 and warned President Joe Biden the situation could only be contained by lifting the sanctions Trump imposed.
鈥淚t was unrealistic to expect Iran not to respond to such a humiliating attack at the heart of its nuclear program,鈥 Vaez said. 鈥淏ut the only thing that in the past two decades has effectively curtailed Iran鈥檚 nuclear program has been diplomacy, not sanctions or sabotage.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
