Vienna Talks, A Big Step Forward

-Reaching an agreement to set a timetable for the comprehensive agreement is a big step forward by Iran and the P5+1. Iran and the P5+1 countries have reiterated that the general timetable for the agreed framework is 4 months. It means that in late June both sides could sign the comprehensive agreement.

-This is while nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 were usually held without a timetable and no time limit was determined for them and the end of negotiations was unclear. On this ground, it can be expected that, during this time, expert and technical meetings will be held without any limit and without pauses in order to pave the way for reaching an agreement.

-One of the most important achievements of the first round of negotiations over the comprehensive agreement, which of course is the result of the Geneva Agreement, is that both sides accepted to talk within a set framework. This is a very significant step because before the negotiations one of the points of difference between the two parties was that they did not have a similar outlook on the issues which were to be discussed.

-There are numerous differences over Iran’s nuclear issue but the most important of them are the Arak reactor and the active centrifuges in Iran.

-The future activities of the Arak heavy water reactor, which could have a dual application, is one of the issues which were discussed during the negotiations between Iran and the P5+1. It is necessary that the existing sensitivities with regard to this reactor be reduced by transferring Iran’s needs and realities to the western party.

-Another issue of dispute is the active centrifuges in Iran including the P2 or new-generation centrifuges which are more powerful compared to the P1 centrifuges and this issue could qualitatively and quantitatively develop Iran’s enrichment program. Thus, this issue is to be seriously discussed during the course of talks about a comprehensive agreement.

-Based on the agreement which was made between Iran and the P5+1, Iran’s nuclear dispute is to be resolved in these negotiations. On this basis, as the P5+1 did not accept to talk about any other issue except the nuclear issue when Mr. Jalili was the chief negotiator, the Islamic Republic of Iran expects that the P5+1 only pursue the same approach in this round of negotiations and only talk about nuclear issues.

-The claims made by the US stating that the issue of Iran’s ballistic missiles is to be discussed in this round of negotiations are false and Iran will never accept this matter.

-Iran’s defense issues have no place in the nuclear negotiations and are not mentioned in the Geneva Agreement, thus, Iran is not bound to talk about its defense system in these negotiations.