The Geneva headway
THE DELEGATES in Geneva have wrapped up their three-day talks on Iran’s nuclear programme to pursue details. Though no deal was reached, it is widely hoped that the talks are making headway with differences whittled down. The intention of the P5+1 states — the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany — is to come up with a watertight agreement so that the international community can move ahead to lift sanctions imposed on Iran. The parleys will resume on November 20. The hiatus will allow the participants to go back to their respective countries and forge an accord at home before making it public. That is apparently what Iran’s Foreign Minister Javed Zarif meant when he said “we are on the same wavelength … and that gives us the impetus to move forward”. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is also the moderator for the talks, sounded optimistic when she said “a lot of concrete progress has been achieved”. In a surprising input from the United States, Secretary of State John Kerry remarked: “Without any exaggeration, we not only narrowed differences but we made significant progress.”
The ball now seems to be in the court of experts and technicians, who are reportedly at work side by side to draw up the blueprint of a possible deal. Though little details have emerged about the guarantees that the six major powers are seeking from Tehran over its ambitious uranium enrichment programme, Iran is said to have hinted that it would walk that extra mile if the sanctions are lifted and the flag of mistrust lowered. Iran’s President Hasan Rohani believes that the West should not miss this unique opportunity, especially as his country has embraced a policy of ‘constructive interaction’ with the world.
It seems the Iranians have stuck to their words and this time around want a substantial quid pro quo, which they would be able to take back home as proof of their achievement. But taking into account the radicalism that rules the roost in Tehran, it remains to be seen how this euphoria in Geneva is reciprocated. Meanwhile, the onus is on Washington to rein in Israel that has been angered by the talks of lifting the sanctions on Iran and prevent it from jumping the gun. Any triggerhappy attempt on part of the Jewish state to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities could derail the talks and trust that Iran has reposed in the process of negotiating its national security across the table. It’s incumbent upon the P5+1 and Iran to seal a deal to help restore stability and tranquility in the entire region.
A deal limiting fuel enrichment in lieu of easing sanctions is possible