Iran diplomatic team in Vienna for Syria talks - Photos

Iranian foreign ministry delegation arrives VIE from THR on 29OCT15 at 14:15 hrs, to engage in Syrian conflict resolution talks with relevant world and regional powers.

Aircraft is IRIG (Meraj Air) Airbus A321-231, reg. EP-AGB (cn 1202).

Note: Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appears to be wearing a pneumatic medical boot for foot or ankle injury.

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif exiting VIP terminal on 29OCT15 at Vienna International Airport (VIE / LOWW).

United States Secretary of State John Kerry seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, engaged in informal talks preceding formal Syrian conflict resolution talks scheduled to commence 30OCT15.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shakes hands with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs received by Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, seated with Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

‘Intensive Discussions’ on Text of Nuclear Agreement - Araqchi

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said today there have been intensive discussions on the text of the final nuclear agreement, JCPOA, in the last three days in Geneva, working on details and narrowing down the gaps. Araqchi said Iran-P5+1 negotiations will proceed at deputy foreign minister level at least for two more weeks to reach to the point that presence of FMs is needed.

Iran Nuclear Talks to Resume 18 January in Geneva

The next round of Iran-P5+1 nuclear talks will begin on Sunday 18 January in Geneva. The talks will be held at deputy foreign ministerial level, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi announced today. (IRNA, 6 January)

Iranian negotiating team will also hold bilateral talks with the U.S. and Russian delegations on 15 January.

Iran Hints at Extension of Nuclear Talks

Iran nuclear talks might be extended if disagreements over remaining issues cannot be resolved by 24 November deadline, Reuters quoted an Iranian senior nuclear negotiator as saying on Friday. This is the first hint that an extension was being contemplated.

“Iran and the P5+1 are very serious on resolving the remaining disputes until November… but everything including an extension is possible if we cannot reach an agreement,” said Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator. (Reuters, 10 October)

Top diplomats from Iran and six major powers will meet in Vienna next week to work on a comprehensive deal ahead of November deadline.

West Must Drop ‘Illogical Demands’ – Iran

Nuclear Talks Probably at Impasse

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is also one of Iran’s senior nuclear negotiators, said today in Vienna that the world powers should abandon their “illogical demands” over Iranian nuclear program. Araqchi, making his comments before a meeting with three European countries who are part of the negotiations, did not spell out what those illogical demands were, but those comments are yet another indication that the talks with P5+1 is not going well at all.

“The talks can yield results if the other party shows goodwill and abandons some of its illogical demands,” Araqchi said. (Reuters, 11 September)

The two sides have until 24 November to reach a comprehensive accord before the current interim agreement expires. They have been no indications that the deadline could be extended. After all, by then the two sides would have been negotiating the few remaining issues, or what Araqchi characterizes as “illogical demands,” for a full year.

Arak IR-40 ‘Will Continue’ - Iran

Operations at Arak IR-40 heavy water reactor will continue, said Iran’s deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi, discussing one of the thorniest issues during the negotiations with world powers.  

“Arak heavy water reactor will continue its work,” Araqchi told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday night. Araqchi said the issue of Arak IR-40 will be discussed in Wednesday’s meeting. (Fars News Agency, 19 March)

Araqchi did not say if Iran was willing to make changes in Arak’s design, as previously suggested by Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The P5+1 would apparently push for such change, which could include converting the IR-40 into a light water reactor. As it is designed now, the reactor would produce significant amount of plutonium that could be used for nuclear weapons. 

Arak's construction has not been completed yet, and construction activities are suspended for six months as part of Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), an interim agreement between Iran and P5+1.

UPDATE: Bloomberg's Indira Lakshmanan just tweeted from Vienna that the French negotiator at the talks told her that today's discussions were constructive, and a final deal before 20 July (JPOA's expiration date) may be possible. She has also twitted that according to the German negotiator, Iran and P5+1 have discussed Arak, enrichment, and other issues, trying to reach a deal by July.  (Twitter/@Indira_L, 19 March)

File Photo: Arak IR-40 Reactor (IRNA)

Negotiations for Comprehensive Deal on Iran Nuclear Program Begins in Vienna

The negotiation for a comprehensive agreement on Iranian nuclear program began today in Vienna, with Iranian negotiators meeting one-on-one with their U.S. and European counterparts.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister and nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi told reporters that the talks had started well and added that for Iran, any dismantling of nuclear program and facilities “is not on the agenda.”

Iran and P5+1 signed an interim agreement in Geneva that would expire on 24 July. The two sides were hoping to strike a final comprehensive deal by the deadline. But considering the difficulties to resolve all the complicated technical and political issues, the interim agreement could potentially be extended until late December.

A final agreement should also resolve all issues embedded in a series of UN Security Council resolutions, including a prohibition against ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Representatives of Iran, the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union at talks in Vienna. Tuesday, 18 February. (Dieter Nagl/AFP/Getty Images/New York Times)

Iran, P5+1 to Resume Talks in February

Iran’s deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said today Iran and the six world powers would start their talks on final agreement on the country’s nuclear program in February, ISNA reported.

It had been agreed that with the start of the implementation of the interim Geneva accord, which happened on Monday, negotiations would begin on the final step.

Araqchi added that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton had to discuss the time, place and level of talks. Those issues could be resolved over the next days at a potential meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland or the Munich Security Conference next week, Araqchi said. (ISNA/Press TV, 21 January)

File photo: Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi (ISNA/Press TV)

Iran, P5+1 Negotiators Resolve ‘All Remaining Issues’

Agreement Reached Sent to Capitals for Final Approval

Iran’s deputy FM and senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi told Iranian state television from Geneva that the two-day talks produced “good results” and the two sides did reach agreements on “all remaining issues” over how to implement the 24 November nuclear deal. He added, however, that due to political sensitivities surrounding some of the agreements reached, the two sides decided to refer final approval of the agreements to their capitals.

“We have resolved all remaining issues. But due to (political) sensitivities of some of the resolutions, it was decided to refer them to (respective) capitals for final approval,” Araqchi said. (IRIB, 10 January)

Araqchi said the agreements reached today in Geneva will be announced publicly in a day or two after the final approval by the countries’ capitals. He added that the two sides still hope to begin the implementation of the accord on 20 January.

Photo credit: Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi in Geneva (IRIB)