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‘Differences over plutonium, uranium enrichment stand in way of nuke deal’ | The Times of Israel.

World powers remain split on Arak reactor, French FM says; ‘disappointed’ diplomats say talks likely to extend into next week

By AP and Times of Israel staff November 9, 2013, 10:06 am
Updated: November 9, 2013, 12:20 pm

GENEVA — Iran and world powers remain split on terms of a nuclear deal because of differences on ways to reduce Tehran’s ability to make atomic weapons using plutonium and enriched uranium, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said Saturday. His comments were the first to provide some specifics on the obstacles at Geneva talks, now in their third day.

Fabius’s remarks to France-Inter radio came as US Secretary of State John Kerry and counterparts from Britain, France and Germany negotiating with Iran consulted in the Swiss city on how to resolve the obstacles at the talks.

Fabius mentioned differences over Iran’s Arak reactor southeast of Tehran, which could produce enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons a year once it goes online. He also said there was disagreement over efforts to limit Iran’s uranium enrichment to levels that would require substantial further enriching before they could be used as the fissile core of a nuclear weapon.

“We are hoping for a deal, but for the moment there are still issues that have not been resolved,” he said.

As Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton were preparing for another day of nuclear negotiations with Iran, the Los Angeles Times reported talks were likely to spill over into next week.

Citing “disappointed” diplomats, the Times said a signing ceremony was not likely to take place on Saturday, even as P5+1 leaders were gearing up for another day of meetings aimed at narrowing gaps in search of a deal that would offer Iran sanctions relief in exchange for proving its atomic ambitions are peaceful.

Russia remained more optimistic regarding the talks, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flying into Geneva on Saturday to attend the sessions Moscow hopes will produce “a lasting result the entire world has been waiting for.”

Lavrov will accompany Kerry, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Fabius, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Ashton in the negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over Iran’s unsanctioned nuclear program.

A senior US official said Kerry and Ashton were to meet separately at the luxury Geneva hotel where they are both staying on Saturday morning before inviting Zarif to join them. There was no immediate indication of how long the three-way meeting would last. On Friday, the trio met for five hours.

The negotiations appear to have made some progress in a major diplomatic push despite fierce opposition from Israel and uncertainty in Congress.

Of the P5+1 foreign ministers, only China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi wasn’t expected to take part in the summit on Saturday. A Western diplomat in Geneva told The Associated Press that China was sending a deputy foreign minister to the talks.

“The meeting was productive but we still have more to do,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Friday night, confirming talks would continue on Saturday.

According to NBC, Friday’s snap arrival of so many high ranking officials “sparked a high level of anticipation in Geneva, with increased security, including bomb-sniffing dogs, and an influx of the world’s media.”

Officials had reported progress in Thursday’s talks. But comments from Kerry and his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany after they arrived in Geneva clearly indicated that obstacles remain in the way of any agreement offering sanctions reductions for nuclear concessions.

Israeli officials nonetheless criticized US President Barack Obama and the US government as though a deal with Iran was fait accompli, saying the president “is bringing about a disaster,” Channel 10 reported. The anonymous sources contended that Obama is pressured to arrive at a deal with the Iranians and wants to get the issue off the agenda.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described the deal on the table as the “deal of the century” for Iran, and publicly urged Kerry — with whom he met on Friday morning — not to sign it and to “reconsider.”

Iran considers Russia most receptive to its arguments among the six world powers. For that reason, Lavrov’s presence would add additional muscle to efforts to seal a preliminary deal that the West hopes will culminate with serious constraints on Iran’s ability to turn a peaceful nuclear program into making weapons.

The talks primarily focus 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.

Kerry said there were “some very important issues on the table that are unresolved.”

“There is not an agreement at this point in time,” he told reporters.

In earlier comments to Israeli television, Kerry suggested Washington was looking for an Iranian commitment to stop any expansion of nuclear activities that could be used to make weapons, as a first step.

“We are asking them to step up and provide a complete freeze over where they are today,” Kerry said Thursday.

The six powers are considering a gradual rollback of sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. In exchange they demand initial curbs on Iran’s nuclear program, including a cap on enrichment to a level that can be turned quickly to weapons use.

The six have discussed ending a freeze on up to $50 billion (37 billion euros) in overseas accounts and lifting restrictions on petrochemicals, gold and other precious metals. But their proposal would maintain core sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and financial sector, as an incentive for Iran to work toward a comprehensive and permanent nuclear accord.

According to Channel 10, the deal in the works would have the Iranians halt uranium enrichment to 20 percent purity, and their existing stocks of 20% would be converted to fuel rods; enrichment to 3.5% purity would be able to continue at Natanz and Qom. Further, operations at the Arak heavy water reactor would have to cease. In exchange, the channel reported, the Iranians would have sanctions lifted on petrochemical products, gold, auto and airplane parts, and assets worth $3 billion would be unfrozen.

Tehran could be pressing for more significant relief from the sanctions as part of any first-step deal. Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Iranian delegation member Majid Takht-e Ravanchi as saying his country was asking for an end to sanctions on oil and international banking transactions crippling the ability to repatriate money from oil sales.

Israel has been watching the talks warily from the sidelines. It has frequently dangled the prospect of military action against Iran should negotiations fail to reach the deal it seeks — a total shutdown of uranium enrichment and other nuclear programs Tehran says are peaceful but which could technically be turned toward weapons.

“I understand the Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva as well they should because they got everything and paid nothing,” Netanyahu told reporters before meeting Kerry in Tel Aviv. Later, looking agitated and addressing the media alone — rather than at a traditional joint appearance with the visiting US secretary — he reiterated his opposition. He also said Israel would do whatever it had to in order to defend itself.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said 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.”

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