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Iran and West Narrow Gap in Nuclear Talks

(Financial Times-UK) Sam Jones and Geoff Dyer - World powers and Iran are making progress towards a nuclear deal. "The gap is narrower than before" [on key areas], Yuval Steinitz, Israel's strategic affairs minister, said in Munich. "I can see progress on two or three central items." Steinitz outlined four key areas of concern in the talks: the number of centrifuges Iran is permitted to continue operating; its stockpile of enriched uranium; its research into more advanced centrifuges; and the storage and dismantling of mothballed centrifuge arrays. "On the first issue of the number of centrifuges...there is some progress or gaps which have been narrowed. But this is mainly because the P5+1 made too many concessions," Steinitz said. Tehran initially wanted a minimum of 9,000 centrifuges, and the P5+1 is considering 4,500 and possibly 6,000. On its stockpile of uranium, Steinitz said, "There is some progress here also - the Iranians [are] agreeing to deliver most of the stockpile abroad." Israel's chief remaining concern, on which there had been "no real progress," was centrifuge research. Without a comprehensive ban, Iran could - completely and legally - undermine any deal. Talks on the heavy water reactor at Arak are almost complete and diplomats say Iran is likely to accept a 15-year deal rather than the 10 it originally wanted. Philip Hammond, UK foreign secretary, said: "There has been some progress. There has been movement. I said to Mr. Zarif we need a clear, unambiguous signal from the Iranians that we are close on the area of enrichment in order to create the momentum that is needed to get significant progress on some of the other areas that are still facing questions." Whatever agreements Iranian ministers make, consent is still needed from Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader.
2015-02-20 00:00:00
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