Lisa Leutner
Against this background, we would have hoped for more progress this week, ”said high-ranking diplomatic circles on Saturday. There is still no agreement on key points, said representatives of Germany, Great Britain and France at the end of a third round of negotiations in Vienna.
The Europeans, together with Russia and China, are trying to mediate between Iran and the USA. The aim of the Vienna negotiations is a roadmap according to which Washington would lift sanctions against Iran and Tehran would again restrict its nuclear program.
US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, told ABC television on Sunday that there was still a long way to go to resolve issues in the negotiations. At the same time, he emphasized: “We hope that we will continue to make progress.”
The Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov was more confident: “There are reasons for cautious and growing optimism.” There is a deadline, but everyone is aiming for a successful conclusion in a good three weeks. There is still no reason to be nervous.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Iranian media in Vienna: “There are differences, even major ones, but since there is also progress, we will continue the negotiations next week.” There has been progress on issues such as the approval of Iranian oil exports and access to oil revenues in accounts of foreign banks. According to Araghchi, there are still differences in sanctions against officials and organizations such as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
The nuclear deal was concluded in Vienna in 2015. The Iranian nuclear program was thereby imposed with strict conditions in order to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. Three years later, then US President Donald Trump left the pact. In return, Tehran has ramped up its uranium enrichment and restricted international nuclear inspections.
The negotiators are under time pressure. In Iran, a new president will be elected in June. The pragmatic incumbent Hassan Ruhani is no longer allowed to run after two terms in office. The election campaign, a new president or a new negotiating team after the election could make it more difficult to resolve the nuclear conflict. (SDA)