LATEST: South Korea Imports of Iran Oil Rise in November, Still Down Sharply from 2012

Iran and the 5+1 Powers resumed technical talks on Thursday over implementation of the November 24 interim nuclear deal.

The tightly-guarded discussions in Geneva began at 4 p.m. local time. Hamid Baeidinejad, the director general for political and international affairs at the Foreign Ministry, led the Iranian delegation, with experts from the nuclear, banking, oil, and transportation sectors. Stephen Clement, an aide to the European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, led the 5+1 team.

Issues to be considered include Iran’s suspension of 20% enrichment of uranium and a start to easing of US-led sanctions on Tehran.

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, said the discussions are scheduled for Thursday and Friday but may continue into next week.

The first set of technical talks in Vienna last week lasted for four days.

“We were at an advanced stage in Vienna,” said a diplomat from one of the 5+1 Powers. “A lot of work has been done so we can go very fast.”

However, the diplomat said, “I am afraid the Iranians will be tougher now,” because of the US Treasury’s blacklisting of another 19 Iranian companies and individuals last Thursday, claiming they supported Tehran’s nuclear program.


South Korea Imports of Iran Oil Rise in November, Still Down Sharply from 2012

South Korea’s crude oil imports from Iran in November rose more than 25% from a month earlier.

Seoul took 3,853,000 barrels during November, versus 3,041,000 barrels in October.

The imports were down 34.4% compared to November 2012.

Senior Cleric Expresses Praise and Concern About P5+1 Nuclear Deal

Speaking to senior Qom clerics, Head of the Iran Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi defended the provisions of the recent P5+1 agreement over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Salehi declared, “Whatever occurs in this agreement, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be its final victor. If they are binding to the agreement then the better but if they violate it, [then] the Islamic Republic of Iran will have shown the world that it adheres to agreements, understanding and interaction and that it is the opposing side which is stubborn and seeks to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

However, Senior cleric Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi thanked Salehi for “alleviating some of our uncertainties” and praised the recent agreement, but expressed concern that “some believe that you have used all of your victory cards more than needed and have not left anything to give them in the future.”

Tehran Welcomes Italian Efforts to Alleviate Sanctions

Ambassador to Rome Jahanbakhsh Mozaffari said Tehran welcomes any “positive and constructive” measure by Italy to ease sanctions against Iran.

Mozaffari stated “Through its constructive stances and measures, Italy can definitely play an influential role [in helping relieve anti-Iran sanctions], and we welcome any positive and constructive move by Italian officials.”

He also dismissed the EU’s sanctions against Iran as “illegal and illegitimate,” suggesting they have also harmed European countries “because Europe has always been among Iran’s main trade partners.”

The Ambassador’s comments follow the remarks of former Italian Prime Minister Masimo D’Alema on Wednesday, in which he suggested Iran can serve as Europe’s strategic partner in the Middle East.

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino is due to visit Tehran on Saturday for a meeting with her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

MP Tells Principlists to Pay Attention to Supreme Leader

In response to recent announcements by Reformists of a plan to take a majority of the Parliament in next year’s elections, Principlists Parliamentary faction member MP Hojjat al-Eslam Nasser Mousavi Laregani accused the last Reformist-majority Parliament of placing “our nuclear information in the hands of the enemies which caused our enemies to awaken so they placed pressure on the Iranian nation.”

He added, “Members of Parliament must execute their legal duties and continuously pay attention to the guidance of the Supreme Leader, and if they are in the line of the velayat, certainly the Parliament will be majority Principlists in the next round.”

Laregani then urged unity among the Principlist and Followers of the Velayat Parliamentary factions.

Rafsanjani: Europeans Say Some Sanctions Will Be Lifted Soon

Commenting on his meeting with a European delegation earlier this week, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani claimed “they said that they will lift some sanctions soon and the current situation after negotiations is very much to the advantage of our country.”

Rafsanjani also praised the Iranian negotiators, stating that “our team in the negotiations did not give any concessions” but that “the opposing side did not give much concession to us” either.