Envoys to Iran nuke talks hail ‘progress’
IAEA confirms Tehran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity
The EU, Russia and Iran hailed progress at nuclear talks yesterday as discussions resumed in Vienna following an attack on one of Tehran’s nuclear sites.
The talks also took place just a day after Iran said it had started producing uranium at 60-per cent purity following an explosion at its Natanz nuclear facility that it blamed on archfoe Israel.
The Islamic republic had warned it would sharply ramp up its enrichment of uranium earlier this week. And the UN nuclear watchdog said yesterday Iran has started the process of enriching uranium to 60 per cent fissile purity at an aboveground nuclear plant at Natanz, confirming earlier statements by Iranian officials.
“The Agency today verified that Iran had begun the production of UF6 enriched up to 60%... at the [above-ground] Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.
That cast a shadow over the talks in Vienna aimed at rescuing a nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers that the United States ditched almost three years ago.
More detailed work
European Union envoy Enrique Mora said yesterday that “progress has been made in a far from easy task. We need now more detailed work”.
Russian ambassador to Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov added that “participants took note with satisfaction of the progress made so far and expressed determination to continue negotiations with a view to complete the process successfully as soon as possible.”
The discussions involved EU officials and representatives from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran.
The talks are aimed at determining which sanctions the United States should lift and the measures Iran has to take in order to rein in Tehran’s nuclear programme.
‘Common final goal’
Iran delegation head Abbas Araghchi remarked on Telegram that “a good discussion took place within the joint commission.
“It appears that a new agreement is taking shape and there is now a common final goal among all,” he added. While noting that all sides appeared to agree on which path to take, Araghchi cautioned that “this will not be an easy path.
“It is not as if disagreements have been resolved,” he said.
“There are still serious disagreements that must be reduced during future negotiations.”
US President Joe Biden commented that the Iranian decision would not help resolve the standoff, but added: “We are nonetheless pleased that Iran has continued to agree to engage in discussions.”