Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi has said that the “path for a deal has started” with the United States after the second round of nuclear talks concluded in Geneva.
Araghchi, who led the Iranian side, stated that Tehran and Washington have reached an understanding on “the main principles” of an agreement during “very serious discussions,” however, issues still remain to be resolved.
The talks, held in Geneva through Omani intermediaries, were to discuss the terms for Tehran constraining its nuclear programme under the supervision of the UN nuclear weapons inspectorate. They ended after three and a half hours.
Araghchi said after the talks that the atmosphere in this round of negotiations was “more constructive.”
“I can say compared to the last round, we’ve had very serious discussions, and there was a constructive atmosphere where we exchanged our point of view.
“Those ideas were discussed, and we came to some agreements and some main principles. And based on those principles, we will eventually draft a document… We are hopeful we can achieve this. When we reach the stage of drafting a document, naturally the process will slow down.”
Abbas Araghchi
He added that the aim was to exchange texts on a draft agreement and then set a date for a further meeting.
No date has been set for a third round of talks with the US, as both sides will develop draft texts for a potential deal before fixing a time.
The Iranians insisted throughout the talks, the first round of which were on 6 February, that it would not discuss its ballistic missile programme or its support for so-called proxy forces in the region.
Iran instead focussed its offer on a plan to dilute its 40kg stockpile of 60% highly enriched uranium, and the access that would be provided to the UN nuclear inspectorate, the IAEA, to Iran’s bombed nuclear sites.
Highly enriched uranium at 60% is near weapons grade, and is not needed for a civil nuclear programme. Discussions also continued on how long Iran might suspend enrichment, in part because the US bombing of its nuclear sites would make it impossible to do for as long as three years, but Iran has not ceded its right to enrich uranium domestically, a central US demand.
Araghchi Iterates Iran Does Not Seek Nuclear Weapons
He also reiterated that Tehran does not seek to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons, but as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it recognises its right “to develop research, produce and use nuclear energy, including enrichment for peaceful purposes.” “This right is inherent, non-negotiable and legally binding,” he said.
Yesterday, Araghchi met the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. The US side met Grossi on Tuesday, underlining how verification of the nuclear industry was at the centre of Tuesday’s round of talks.
Any deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear programme would require a full return of the IAEA inspectors to Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities.
Previous talks in Cairo on the Iran-IAEA protocols that would allow the IAEA full access to three main nuclear bombed sites broke down.
A small number of IAEA inspectors are still working in Iran, but they have no detailed knowledge of the damage caused by US bombing or how many of centrifuges could be quickly restarted.
Moreover, Araghchi said that the US’s 2018 unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was a “clear violation of an internationally endorsed agreement.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister said that it also “dealt a profound blow to trust and the stability of multilateral obligations.”
“This decision not only disregarded multilateral commitments but also imposed unjustified economic and humanitarian consequences on the Iranian people.
“More troubling still was the recourse to military aggression against Iran last June, at a time when we were in the midst of negotiations. Such aggression stands in stark contradiction to [the] basic principles of the United Nations charter and international law.”
Abbas Araghchi
The US joined its ally Israel in attacks against Iran last June, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities.
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