Iran nuclear talks to resume June 9-10 in Geneva
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World powers and Iran are continuing negotiations to expand on a Nov. 2013 deal on the nation's nuclear program.
A year of secret meetings between the U.S. and Iran paved
the way for the historic agreement reached Nov. 24, 2013, in which Iran
accepted constraints on its nuclear program in exchange for partial
relief from economic sanctions. The talks were even kept secret from
U.S. negotiating partners and Israel until shortly before the deal was
reached.
Senior U.S. and Iranian officials will meet in Geneva for
discussions June 9-10, the State Dept. confirmed June 7. The U.S.
delegation will be led by Deputy Sec. of State Bill Burns. The talks are
a precursor to the next round of negotiations in Vienna, slated for
June 16-20.
The White House on Jan. 16 released a four-page summary of a deal reached
in Nov. 2013 with Iran over its nuclear program. The six-month
preliminary agreement allows for some relief from sanctions as Iran
meets various commitments. Officials hope to have final terms hammered
out by July 20.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA declined to say on May 15
whether or not Iran had met a deadline to implement seven transparency
steps to alleviate concerns it had conducted atomic bomb research. Days
earlier the IAEA said Iran had taken some steps, but "some related work
continues."
"We can [reach an interim agreement] in four or five months and even shorter."
Javad Zarif, Iranian foreign minister
Zarif said on March 9 that Iran was negotiating with
"desire, decision and commitment" to reach an interim agreement. The
comment came as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton visited Tehran.
Ashton said a comprehensive agreement was more important and "there is
no guarantee that we will succeed."
Under the terms of the six-month deal, Iran will stop
enriching uranium beyond 5%. Iran's existing stockpile of military-grade
20% uranium will be diluted or converted. No new centrifuges will be
built and currently suspended centrifuges will not be started up.
Certain enrichment sites will be suspended for the duration of the deal.
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"[Iran is] voluntarily halting the production of 20%
uranium enrichment is the major measure that we are undertaking on [Jan.
20] by noon."
Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's nuclear program
Officials told Iranian state TV on Jan. 20 that Iran had
stopped enriching military-grade uranium as called for in the Nov. 2013
agreement. After the IAEA verified the move, the U.S. and EU confirmed
that they would begin easing some financial restrictions called for in
the deal.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed
Feb. 1 that Iran has received the first installment of $500 million
under the nuclear deal. Over the next six months, Iran will receive $4.2
billion in frozen assets under the deal.
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Bandar Abbas, Iran
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