Four world powers send top diplomats to Geneva for Iran talks

PanARMENIAN.Net - Four world powers are dispatching their top diplomats to Geneva on Friday, Nov 7 to add their weight to negotiations aimed at putting initial limits on Iran's ability to make atomic weapons, the Associated Press reports.

French, British and German foreign ministers are joining U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Geneva, who will be coming "to help narrow differences in negotiations," according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Their decision to fly to Geneva comes after signs that global powers and Iran were close to a first-stage deal that would cap some of Iran's suspected nuclear programs in exchange for limited relief from economic sanctions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not plan to attend. There was no word from Beijing on any plans by the Chinese foreign minister to join his colleagues.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the first to arrive, spoke of progress, but told reporters "nothing is hard and fast yet."

"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 program."

Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, told Iranian state TV on Thursday that the six — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — "clearly said that they accept the proposed framework by Iran." He later told CNN that he thinks negotiators at the table are now "ready to start drafting" an accord that outlines specific steps to be taken.

Though Araghchi described the negotiations as "very difficult," he told Iranian state TV that he expected agreement on details by Friday, the last scheduled round of the current talks.

The talks are primarily focused on the size and output of Iran's enrichment program, 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.

International negotiators representing the six powers declined to comment on Araghchi's statement. Bur White House spokesman Jay Carney elaborated on what the U.S. calls a "first step" of a strategy meant to ultimately contain Iran's ability to use its nuclear program to make weapons.

An initial agreement would "address Iran's most advanced nuclear activities; increase transparency so Iran will not be able to use the cover of talks to advance its program; and create time and space as we negotiate a comprehensive agreement," Carney told reporters in Washington, according to the AP.

The six would consider "limited, targeted and reversible relief that does not affect our core sanctions," he said, alluding to penalties crippling Tehran's oil exports. If Iran reneges, said Carney, "the temporary, modest relief would be terminated, and we would be in a position to ratchet up the pressure even further by adding new sanctions."

He described any temporary, initial relief of sanctions as likely "more financial rather than technical."

Diplomats have previously said initial sanction rollbacks could free Iranian funds in overseas accounts and allow trade in gold and petrochemicals.