LATEST
Amid continuing political manoeuvres after last Thursday’s nuclear framework between Iran and the 5+1 Powers, the US has repeated that sanctions removal will be linked to Iranian compliance with the terms of a comprehensive agreement.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a press briefing on Monday:
You can’t start talking about relieving sanctions until we’ve reached agreements about how we’re going to shut down every pathway they have to a nuclear weapon. It has never been our position that all of the sanctions against Iran should be removed from Day One.
The US said in a fact sheet on the framework that the lifting of US, European Union, and UN sanctions will be linked to final International Atomic Energy Agency verification of Iran’s uranium centrifuges, stock of nuclear fuel, state of facilities, and arrangements for an ongoing inspections process.
Publicly, Iranian officials — including President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif — have criticized the US fact sheet, with almost all insisting on immediate removal of sanctions as soon as an accord is reached.
However, Zarif implicitly admitted in a Saturday television interview that the American statement on IAEA verification is correct. The Foreign Minister also referred to “snap-back” measures for the re-imposition of sanctions, if Iran is found in violation of the comprehensive deal, when he referred to “operational mechanisms” against either side over non-compliance.
On Tuesday, Zarif briefed Iranian MPs in a closed-door session. He was joined by Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, who led the technical talks with the US in Switzerland.
The MPs claimed that Zarif and Salehi both said Iran would pursue advanced research-and-development of uranium centrifuges, including the IR-8 model, as soon as a final deal too effect.
Iran has restricted itself to operating only 40-year-old IR-1 centrifuges, although it installed IR-2 models in early 2013. Under the framework, it will be allowed carry out R&D on advanced models as long as this is “not related to enrichment”. It will be restricted to 5,000 operating IR-1 centrifuges, with the IR-2s put in storage under the oversight of the IAEA.
The MPs said Zarif would release a revised Iranian fact sheet to clarify the terms of last week’s framework. They maintained the posture of Iranian strength and triumph, saying Salehi had told them, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has acquired such power in the nuclear technology that this very power has forced the western side to see no way out but sitting to the negotiating table with Iran.”
The division in coverage between Fars News, the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards, and the pro-Government State news agency IRNA continues this morning. IRNA avoids most of the defiant statements in Fars’ coverage and presents a more conciliatory report, quoting MP Ali Motahari:
The negotiating team briefed Majlis with new technical information which helped remove existing ambiguities. The majority of Majlis representatives put their seal of approval on comments made by the negotiating team
However, IRNA also quotes another legislator claiming that Zarif said “Tehran is not going to permit on-line cameras for inspection purposes”.
Iran and the 5+1 Powers (US, Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia) announced the framework after months of intensive talks. They are seeking the comprehensive settlement by a June 30 deadline.
Turkish President Erdoğan Welcomed by Rouhani in 1-Day Visit
President Rouhani has officially welcomed his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Tehran.
Erdoğan is in Iran on a 1-day visit “to exchange views on issues of mutual interest”. He is also scheduled to meet the Supreme Leader.
Revolutionary Guards Site: Students Protest Outcome of Nuclear Negotiations
Is this a not-so-subtle snipe by the Revolutionary Guards against Foreign Minister Zarif and the nuclear framework? Its outlet Fars News posted on Monday:
Iranian University students are staging a sit-in in front of the Parliament to voice protest at the results of several months of talks between Iran and the world powers as Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif [briefed] the lawmakers on the results of the Lausanne talks in today’s session….
The students say they believe that the redlines of the country have been crossed in the Swiss statement and the nation’s goals with regard to the removal of the sanctions have not been materialized.
The protesters say they have a question to ask from the Foreign Minister, and shout “losing in Lausanne, pretending victory in Tehran”.
