Despite the remaining obstacles to a nuclear deal — notably the number and level of Iran’s centrifuges for uranium enrichment — Iranian media is talking up the possibilities as negotiations resume in Vienna.
On Thursday, Iran and the 5+1 Powers (US, Britain, China, Russia, France, and Germany) held the first plenary session in the sixth round of discussions on a comprehensive agreement.
With all sides committed to silence on details, little news emerged from the negotiators. However, Iran’s Press TV headlines this morning, “EU, China to Help Efforts for Final Iran-P5+1 Deal“.
The outlet cites the pro forma statement of Michael Mann, the spokesman for the 5+1 Powers, that resolution is being sought before the expiry of November’s interim arrangements: “Of course, everyone is aware of July 20 deadline. We have, as I’ve said already, a sense of determination to get an agreement by that deadline.”
Press TV then invokes the comment of a Chinese Foreign Ministry official, Wang Qun, “China has brought up some proposals and suggestions to solve the conflicts. China has only one purpose, and that is to help all parties reach an impartial, balanced, reciprocal and win-win agreement.”
In contrast, unnamed “Western diplomats” are continuing to emphasize the gap over Iran’s stock of uranium centrifuges, saying that Tehran has not retreated far enough from its public intention to install 50,000 in the Natanz and Fordoo plants.
Reuters claimed that Iranian officials indicated on Wednesday that they would pull back from the 50,000 figure, but not back to the current level of 19,000 — about 10,000 of which are operational.
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi denied the report on Thirsday, “All the figures which are reported on the number of centrifuges are the figment of the imagination of some foreign media.”
The US and European allies are insisting that Iran must reduce its stock well below the 19,000, saying that Tehran’s expansion could leave a “breakout” capability to move to a militarized nuclear program within months.
A “senior US Administration official” in Vienna, briefing journalists after the day’s talk, merely restated the tough public line of Secretary of State John Kerry that Tehran must accept the demands of the 5+1 Powers, as “this is not a mediation”:
We are offering Iran a path forward, in fact a different path forward. But its leaders must engage if they’re going to avoid even more economic and diplomatic pressure, and most importantly, their leaders must continue to engage and find a solution to meet the objectives that Iran says it can easily achieve.