Kerry insists world powers united in Iran nuclear talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry makes a statement about talks with Iran over its nuclear programme in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 21, 2015. PHOTO | FABRICE COFFRINI |

What you need to know:

  • US says it will not be rushed into a bad deal
  • The complex deal on the table, due to be finalised by July, is aimed at convincing the world that Iran will not build nuclear weapons under the guise of its ongoing civilian programme.

LAUSANNE, Saturday

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that world powers were “united” in their approach to nuclear talks with Iran despite speculation of splits with France, and stressed that he would not rush into a bad deal.

“I emphasise: We are united in our goal, our approach, our resolve and our determination to ensure that Iran’s programme is entirely peaceful,” Kerry said in Switzerland before leaving for London for talks with his British, French and German counterparts.

France has expressed scepticism over the speed of a potential deal in which Iran would place its controversial nuclear programme under severe restrictions in exchange for a stage-by-stage lifting of international sanctions.

Diplomats in Paris have expressed concern that Washington may be so keen on concluding a deal before the initial March 31 deadline that it might be ready to accept an overly pliable accord that Iran could work around.

On Friday, prior to a phone call with US counterpart Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande insisted the “French position is easy to state: yes, Iran can have access to civilian nuclear capacities, but can not obtain a nuclear arm.”

Kerry sought to reassure that Washington was not trying to pressure partners into an accord, saying “we have worked long and hard to achieve an agreement that resolves concerns on Iran’s programme.”

He said Iran still has to do more to prove that it would abide by a deal and that “important gaps remain.”

“The stakes are high and the issues are complicated and all interrelated. Once again let me also be clear. We do not want just any deal. If we had, we should have announced something a long time ago and clearly since the joint plan of action was agreed we’re not rushing,” he said.

“This has been a two-and-a-half-year more process, but we recognise that fundamental decisions have to be made now, and they don’t get any easier as time goes by. It’s time to make hard decisions.”

Yet there appears to be some difference of opinion on just how imminent that moment is. On Thursday, a European diplomat in Geneva confided the actual “deadline... is June 30,” rather than March 31.

On Friday France’s ambassador to the US, Gerard Arad, tweeted a similar warning that “making the end of March an absolute deadline is counterproductive and dangerous. Need all our time to finalise a complex agreement.”

Araud later added that “Pressure on ourselves to conclude at any price... is a bad tactic.”

BAD DEAL

The complex deal on the table, due to be finalised by July, is aimed at convincing the world that Iran will not build nuclear weapons under the guise of its ongoing civilian programme.

It would likely involve Iran reducing its nuclear activities, allowing tight inspections, and limiting development of new nuclear machinery.

In exchange, Iran — which denies wanting nuclear weapons — would get relief from the mountain of painful sanctions that have strangled its oil exports and hammered its economy.

Obama’s Republican opponents and Israel’s re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country is assumed to possess nuclear weapons itself, fear the deal will not do enough to stop Iran getting the bomb.

Yesterday Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said differences remain but all issues can be resolved to secure a long-sought deal.

“I believe an agreement is possible. There is nothing that cannot be resolved and the other party must make its final decision for this,” the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.

“In this round of negotiations there were differences on some issues,” Rouhani said, but noting that “common views emerged that can be the basis of a final agreement.”

However he added: “Some points of disagreement persist.”

The negotiations are to resume on Wednesday.