BRUSSELS: World powers said yesterday after talks on Iran’s contested nuclear program that they were ready to resume negotiations with Tehran “as soon as possible.”
The office of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said after talks between senior officials of the so-called P5+1 nations — Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany — that the group was “committed to having another round of talks with Iran as soon as possible.”
The talks hosted by Ashton were the first on the issue since the US election that saw President Barack Obama returned to office.
“The meeting was part of the ongoing coordination effort to move the process forward to address the international community’s concerns about the Iranian nuclear program,” the statement from Ashton’s office said.
It said that the six powers “remain united in their efforts to seek a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue” and that “necessary contact” with Tehran would be made “in the coming days.” The re-election of US President Barack Obama this month has cleared the way for new talks and Western diplomats are eager to start soon as signs grow that Iran is still building up its nuclear capacity.
But the window of opportunity for a negotiated solution is narrowing because of growing alarm over Tehran’s nuclear course in Israel, which has threatened to bomb Iranian installations.
Any Israeli strike, which would spark more fighting in the Middle East, is unlikely before the country’s Jan. 22 election, experts say, giving the six powers some room for manoeuver.
“There certainly is a window to do a deal, but that window is closing, and closing fast. Ultimately it depends on the Iranians meeting their international obligations,” said Ariel Ratner, former Obama administration political appointee on Middle East issues at the State Department.
In hopes of a breakthrough, and despite deep skepticism a deal with Tehran can be reached, the powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States — are revising their strategy after three inconclusive rounds of negotiations this year.
Their plan could be presented to Iran in talks, convened by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, which diplomats say may take place in the coming months in Istanbul.
“The idea of the (yesterday) meeting is to coordinate on what kind of offer we are going to go forward with to Iran,” said one senior Western official, familiar with the planning.
Iran denies international accusations it is seeking nuclear weapons and has so far refused to meet demands to scale back its atomic activity, insisting on immediate relief from sanctions.
Western powers have rejected that in previous rounds, instead offering limited incentives focused on technology cooperation. They have also ramped up punitive measures intended to get Iran, one of the world’s biggest oil producers, back to the table for meaningful talks.
Sanctions pressure increased last month when European Union governments stepped up restrictions on trading with Tehran and banned imports of Iranian gas, to complement this year’s crippling embargo on Iran’s crude oil.
There are scant signs sanctions are pushing Iran towards a deal. A UN report showed this month Iran is set to sharply expand uranium enrichment in its underground Fordow plant.
Diplomats say one option being considered by the six powers is to ask Iran for more concessions, while offering more substantial sanctions relief.
“With more space in Washington and more pressure in Tehran, there might just be room for a deal,” said Jon Wolfsthal, a former adviser to US Vice President Joe Biden.
Iran rejected the proposal, described by Western officials as an initial step to build confidence, and demanded recognition of its “right” to refine uranium, activity which can have both civilian and military purposes, as well as lifting sanctions.
World powers to resume talks with Iran ‘as soon as possible’
