Iran nuclear talks ‘positive,’ says Russia
VIENNA: Russia said on Thursday that the latest talks in Vienna to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal were positive.
The latest round of negotiations took place between diplomats over roughly two hours on Thursday aternoon, with Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov tweeting aterwards that the “general impression is positive.” He added Thursday’s talks “will be followed by a number of informal meetings in different formats, including at expert level.” The talks comprised delegations from the remaining parties to the deal -- Germany, France, Britain, China, Russia and Iran.
A European diplomat had told AFP in advance of the meeting that Iran’s announcement that it would enrich uranium up to 60 per cent “puts pressure on everyone.” The move would take Iran closer to the 90 per cent purity level needed for use in a nuclear weapon.
EU external affairs spokesperson Peter Stano described the announcement as “extremely worrisome from a nuclear non-proliferation point of view. There is no credible or plausible civilian justification for such a decision,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani re-stated the country’s long-standing position that “we are not seeking to obtain the atomic bomb,” saying it was a “mistake” for Europe and the United States to express concern that Iran could “enrich to 90 per cent in one go.” Tehran says the enrichment move is a response to Israel’s “nuclear terrorism” ater 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.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said late Wednesday that Washington was taking the “provocative announcement” on enrichment from Iran “very seriously.” “I have to tell you the step calls into question Iran’s seriousness with regard to the nuclear talks,” Blinken told reporters in Brussels.
But events of the past few days have also “reminded both parties that the status quo is a lose-lose situation,” and have “added urgency” to the talks, said Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group think tank.
“It 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,” Vaez added.
An American delegation is atending the talks “indirectly,” staying at a separate hotel.