VIENNA: Iran and world powers were set for a second day of nuclear talks yesterday hoping to move to the next level and start drafting a historic and highly ambitious final deal next month.
Threatening to drive a wedge between the powers, however, is the crisis over Ukraine, which has led to the biggest standoff between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
Iran and the five UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany want to transform a temporary accord struck in November into a permanent agreement before it lapses on July 20.
Doing so is a tall order, however, requiring both sides to tackle thorny issues that will severely test their willingness and ability to give ground.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday after the start of the third round of talks he had formed a group of legal experts to help in the “complicated, difficult and slow work” of drafting a deal.
But his deputy Abbas Araqchi said differences had been reduced on a number of questions and the general atmosphere during the talks was good.
A fourth round of talks will be held in Vienna in mid-May, he added.
A spokesman for the powers’ chief negotiator, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said this round was to “explore our respective positions on each topic”.
A senior US official involved in the talks said Friday she was “absolutely convinced” a deal could be reached and that both sides were “looking toward beginning drafting in May”.
Under the November deal, which took effect on January 20, Iran froze certain nuclear activities for six months in exchange for minor relief from sanctions hurting its economy. — AFP