The co-ordinator of talks in Vienna that aim to resurrect the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with world powers has said officials have only weeks left to find an agreement as the seventh round of negotiations concluded.
Senior EU official Enrique Mora said he hoped the talks would resume by the end of the year, but said a “very complex” task lay ahead.
Iran’s nuclear envoy Ali Bagheri Kani said “good progress” was made this week in Vienna and added that there would be a break of a few days.
China's representative said the talks will “resume hopefully before the end of the year”, while Russia's top official in Vienna said they would recommence soon.
“We don't have months, we rather have weeks to have an agreement,” Mr Mora said. “There is a sense of urgency that is absolutely important if we want to really have success in these negotiations.”
He added: “For the eighth round, we have a lot of work ahead, a very complex task, I have to say. Difficult political decisions have to be taken.”
Gaps remain in Vienna nonetheless, and Britain, France and Germany this week warned Iran that time is running out.
The 2015 deal Iran signed with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as Germany and the EU offered Tehran sanctions relief in return for limits on its nuclear programme.
But since US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdraw from the accord in 2018 and reimposed heavy sanctions on Iran, the country has repeatedly breached the terms of the deal.
The seventh round of negotiations began late last month after a hiatus since June when presidential elections in Iran brought hardliner Ebrahim Raisi to power. He appointed Mr Kani as the new head of the Iranian delegation in Vienna.
US diplomats have been involved indirectly in Vienna, with Mr Trump’s successor, US President Joe Biden, saying he wants a return to the deal.
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
