Kerry warns of differences over Iran nuclear plans
Russia throws weight behind negotiations
GENEVA — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned Friday of significant differences between Iran and six world powers trying to fashion a nuclear agreement, as he and three European foreign ministers added their weight to try to narrow the gap. But Russia expressed optimism about a deal.
Officials had reported progress in Thursday’s talks, however, comments from Kerry and his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany after they arrived in Geneva clearly indicated that obstacles remain in the way of any agreement offering sanctions reductions for nuclear concessions. Russian news agencies reported late Friday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would join Kerry and the European ministers in Geneva on Saturday.
Iran considers Russia most receptive among the six world powers to its arguments. For that reason, Lavrov’s presence would add additional muscle to efforts to seal a preliminary deal that the West hopes will culminate with serious constraints on Iran’s ability to turn a peaceful nuclear program into making weapons.
Reporting Lavrov’s pending arrival, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying Russia expects that the talks will produce a “lasting result expected by the international community.”
The Russian statement suggested a possible narrowing of differences, hours after Kerry met first with his European counterparts, then with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Catherine Ashton, the EU’s top diplomat, who convened the talks.
Kerry arrived from Tel Aviv after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during which he tried to defuse Israeli concerns about the Geneva talks. Israel strongly opposes any deal that even slightly lifts sanctions unless Iran is totally stripped of technology that can make nuclear arms.
The talks primarily focus on the size and output of Iran’s enrichment program, which can create both reactor fuel and weapons-grade material suitable for a nuclear bomb. Iran insists it is pursuing only nuclear energy, medical treatments and research, but the United States and its allies fear that Iran could turn this material into the fissile core of nuclear warheads.