Kerry warns of hurdles before any Iran deal

Officials had expressed optimism about progress achieved at the Geneva talks but John Kerry Kerry and his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany after they arrived in Geneva clearly indicated that some obstacles remain in the way of any agreement offering sanctions reductions for nuclear concessions.

GENEVA // US secretary of state John Kerry warned of significant differences between Iran and six world powers trying to fashion a nuclear agreement, as he and three European foreign ministers added their weight to try to narrow the gap.

Officials had expressed optimism about progress achieved in Thursday’s full day of talks. But comments from Mr Kerry and his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany after they arrived in Geneva clearly indicated that some obstacles remain in the way of any agreement offering sanctions reductions for nuclear concessions.

Mr Kerry said there were “some very important issues on the table that are unresolved”.

“There is not an agreement at this point in time,” he said in Geneva.

The UN’s nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano will hold talks with senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday with the aim of “strengthening dialogue and cooperation”, the agency said.

His decision to accept an Iranian invitation to visit may be a sign of progress in efforts by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency to investigate Iran’s disputed atomic activities.

Yesterday’s talks, though, primarily focus on the size and output of Iran’s enrichment programme, which can create both reactor fuel and weapons-grade material suitable for a nuclear bomb. Iran insists it is pursuing only nuclear energy, medical treatments and research, but the United States and its allies fear that Iran could turn this material into the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

Mr Kerry planned to meet later with his European counterparts before joint talks with Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Catherine Ashton, the EU’s top diplomat convening the talks.

In earlier comments to Israeli television, Mr Kerry suggested Washington was looking for an Iranian commitment to stop any expansion of nuclear activities that could be used to make weapons, as a first step.

“We are asking them to step up and provide a complete freeze over where they are today,” Mr Kerry said on Thursday.

Mr Kerry arrived in Geneva from Tel Aviv after talks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu where he tried to defuse Israeli concerns about the Geneva talks. Israel is critical of any deal that even slightly lifts sanctions unless Iran is totally stripped of technology that can make nuclear arms.

Six world powers – the US, UK, Germany, France, Russia and China – are considering a gradual rollback of sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. In exchange they demand initial curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme, including a cap on enrichment to a level that can be turned quickly to weapons use.

The groups, known as the P5+1, have discussed ending a freeze on up to US$50 billion (Dh183bn) in overseas accounts and lifting restrictions on petrochemicals, gold and other precious metals. But their proposal would maintain core sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and financial sector, as an incentive for Iran to work toward a comprehensive and permanent nuclear accord.

Tehran could be pressing for more significant relief from the sanctions as part of any first-step deal.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov would travel to Geneva today.

Mr Lavrov spoke yesterday of “a chance for reaching agreement on a common approach” despite the remaining differences. There was no word from Beijing on any plans by the Chinese foreign minister to join his colleagues.

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius was the first to arrive at the talks.

“I’ve come to Geneva to take part in the negotiations because the talks are difficult but important for regional and international security,” he said. “We are working to reach an accord which completes the first step to respond to Iran’s nuclear programme.”

Israel has been watching the talks warily from the sidelines. It has frequently hinted at the prospect of military action against Iran should negotiations fail to reach the deal it seeks – a total shutdown of uranium enrichment and other nuclear programmes Tehran says are peaceful but which could technically be turned toward weapons.

“I understand the Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva as well they should because they got everything and paid nothing,” Mr Netanyahu told reporters before meeting Mr Kerry in Tel Aviv.

Asked about Mr Netanyahu’s criticism, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said “any critique of the deal is premature” because an agreement has not been reached.

He added: “The United States and Israel are in complete agreement about the need to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

Any agreement would be a breakthrough after nearly a decade of mostly inconclusive talks, but would only be the start of a long process to reduce Iran’s potential nuclear threat, with no guarantee of ultimate success.

Associated Press with additional reporting by Reuters