Iran, U.S., EU Talks End with Little Progress

Senior-level nuclear talks among U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU envoy Catherine Ashton ended today in Muscat amid no signs of progress.

Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi summed up the results of 2.5 days of what has been described as tough and serious talks: Can’t say we progressed, can’t say we regressed.

In Washington, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said the talks were “tough, direct and serious.” Psaki added that the two sides were “continuing to chip away at a very challenging issue.” (Reuters, 10 November)

The negotiators from P5+1 and Iran will resume talks in Muscat on Tuesday ahead of a last-ditch push in Vienna next week to meet the 24 November deadline.

The pace at which sanctions would be phased out, the length of any final accord, and Iran’s enrichment capacity are the toughest outstanding issues.

On Sunday, President Obama said during an interview with CBS’ Face the Nation that the U.S. was looking for “verifiable, lock-tight assurances (from Iran) that they can’t develop a nuclear weapon.”

Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry (l.), EU envoy Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at trilateral talks; Muscat, Oman, 10 November 2014 (Reuters) 

Iran, U.S., EU to Meet in Muscat

Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Katherine Ashton will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on 9-10 November in Muscat, Oman. The trio will push for a comprehensive deal before the 24 November deadline. Muscat was the site of secret meetings between Iran and the U.S. that led to interim nuclear deal, JPOA, last November. Formal talks on final deal will be held between P5+1 and Iran starting 18 November in Vienna.

Rouhani Meets with Cameron, Ashton

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and British Prime Minister David Cameron met today in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was first between the heads of government of Iran and Britain in more than 35 years. They called for closer bilateral relations between the two countries.

Rouhani also met with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who also acts as the chairperson in nuclear meetings between Iran and P5+1.

Meanwhile, Rouhani told a gathering of the New American Foundation, a policy think-tank, that all parties involved in nuclear talks should take advantage of the “historic opportunity” to reach a comprehensive agreement. He said that the two sides should first finish the plan they have embarked upon, the nuclear deal, and then look for cooperation on other areas.

Photo credit: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and British Prime Minister David Cameron; New York, 24 September 2014 (AFP)

Zarif, Ashton Meet Ahead of Talks with P5+1 - UPDATE

American and Iranian Delegations To hold Bilateral Meetings

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in New York on Tuesday and held talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton today ahead of the next round of nuclear talks between Iran and P5+1 on 19 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The latest meetings are held amid growing concerns that the two sides are not close to strike a final deal prior to 24 November expiration of the current interim agreement. 

UPDATE: The American and Iranian delegations will be holding bilateral meetings on Wednesday night and Thursday in New York, the U.S. State Department announced.

Photo credit: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and their delegations at Iranian mission to the UN on Fifth Avenue, New York; 17 September 2014 (Fars News Agency) 

Iran, World Powers to Meet in New York on 18 September

Iran and the six major powers will resume their talks on Iranian nuclear program on 18 September in New York, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s spokesman, Michael Mann, announced Thursday.

“The talks between (P5+1) and Iran, led by High Representative Ashton, will continue in New York as of 18^th September,” Mann said.

Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met on Monday in Brussels to prepare the groundwork for the upcoming talks in New York. Zarif said after the meeting that the two sides could still work out a comprehensive deal by 24 November deadline.

Photo credit: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (r.) and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton meeting reporters in Brussels; 1 September 2014 (Jason Reed, Reuters)

Ashton to Lead Iran Nuclear Talks

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will remain the chief negotiator of six world powers during the four-month extension of Iran nuclear talks. Ashton’s term as foreign policy chief ends in October, but she will continue lead the negotiations through its 24 November deadline. (Reuters, 19 July)

File Photo: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (Reuters)

Zarif Reports ‘Progress’ in Talks with Ashton: West Has ‘Political Will’ to Reach Deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said today progress has been made in his talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. He added that the West has “political will” to reach comprehensive agreement with Iran. Zarif made the comments after two days of meetings with Ashton in Istanbul.

“We have made progress; we exchanged views during lengthy discussions that we have had in the last two days in Istanbul with Catherine Ashton,” said Zarif.

“Iran is determined to find a solution that respects the rights of the Iranian people and also clear up any misunderstandings about the sites of the Iranian nuclear program,” Zarif told reporters today during his visit to Algiers. (AFP, 28 My)

“It’s a matter of time, but also political will must be expressed to reach an agreement. I can assure you the other party has the political will to reach an agreement,” Zarif said.

File photo: Catherine Ashton (L) and Javad Zarif at Iran-P5+1 talks in Vienna, 14 May, 2014. (Dieter Nagl/AFP)

Zarif, Ashton Hold Surprise Meeting in Istanbul

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton arrived in Istanbul on Monday morning for unannounced talks on the nuclear agreement. They have already held their first meeting and there are indications that the talks could resume on Tuesday.

Today Zaman, quoting diplomatic sources, reported that the two discussed “common problems.” (Today Zaman, 26 May)

After talks with Ashton, Zarif will go to Algeria to attend a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) ministerial meeting

Iran and P5+1 are working towards the 20 July deadline to complete an accord; however, the talks stalled on 16 May meet, denting hopes that the July target date could be met.

Photo credit: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (Mehr News Agency) 

UPDATE: Zarif and Ashton will meet again on Tuesday at 9:00 AM Istanbul time. 

Ashton Defends Meeting Iran Human Rights Activists

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton today defended her talks with human rights activists during a recent visit to Iran, saying meeting dissidents is a central part of her official travels. Ashton’s spokesman, Michael Mann, also told reporters that meeting civil society representatives is part of Ashton’s visits.

"She (Ashton) always sees civil society representatives, particularly women, when she travels to a country," Mann said in Vienna. “It was the same when she went to Iran.” (Reuters, 18 March)

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif canceled a customary dinner with Ashton on the eve of the Vienna talks. Iran’s official news agency said Zarif’s decision was due to “undiplomatic” behavior, a reference to her Tehran meeting with female human rights activists, including the human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.

File photo: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Brussels, 17 March 2014. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

New Round of Nuclear Talks in Vienna

Size of Enrichment Work and Future of IR-40 Among Top Issues

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, heading a team of Iranian nuclear negotiators, left Tehran for Vienna today to attend the second round of talks on a comprehensive deal with world powers. The P5+1 team will be chaired by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. (Fars News Agency, 17 March)

Scope of Iran's uranium enrichment work and the future of Arak IR-40 heavy water reactors are the top issues in this round of talks, which are scheduled for 18-19 March. Zarif will meet with Ashton later today ahead of the talks.

‘No Guarantee’ of Final Nuclear Deal With Iran - Ashton

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in Tehran on Sunday that there was “no guarantee” that Iran and world powers would be able to reach a final, comprehensive agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. (The New York Times, 9 March)

Photo credit: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, second from left, and her delegation attended a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, second from right, and his colleagues; Tehran, Sunday, 9 March 2014. (Vahid Salemi/Associated Press/The New York Times)

Rouhani Calls for Close Cooperation with Europe

Ashton in Tehran - Meeting with Human Rights Activist

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today and discussed the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and P5+1 and Iran-EU relations.

“Having properly passed through the current stage (of nuclear talks), we will reach a climate where the two sides will face very important and strategic issues and in that atmosphere Iran and the European Union can have strategic ties with each other, for example in the fields of energy and transit,” Rouhani told Ashton. (IRNA/Press TV, 9 March)

“Iran and the European Union can hold talks and have cooperation on regional issues including the fight against terrorism and extremism, the issues of Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq and narcotics trafficking,” Rouhani added.

IRNA reported that Ashton had said in the meeting that the EU acknowledges the important role of Iran in the region and is ready to develop more dynamic ties with the country.

Ashton will held talks on Sunday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Senior Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani.

On Saturday evening, upon her arrival in Tehran, Ashton met with Iranian human rights activist Narguess Mohammadi and mother of Sattar Beheshti, whose son died in custody.

Photo above: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani (R) and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton meet at Presidential Office in Tehran; 9 March 9 2014. (Press TV)

Photo below: Ashton greeting Sattar Behesti's mother, who hold a photo of her late son; Tehran. (Twitter/@Parpanchi)

Ashton in Tehran

Landmark Bridge-Building Visit

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who acts as the lead nuclear negotiator for P5+1, arrived in Tehran on Saturday evening in what is described as a landmark visit, with “softly-softly bridge-building approach” to forging a new relationship between Iran and the West. This is her first visit to Iran.

The reformist-leaning media in Iran her visit as another sign of the success of the country’s new foreign policy under President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif. The coverage by the hardline media was much less enthusiastic.

She begins her visit with a meeting with civil society leaders on Saturday evening. She will meet with President Rouhani and other senior leaders on Sunday, and on Monday will visit Isfahan, famed for its stunningly beautiful Islamic architecture.

Photo credit: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, second from left, at the reception area of Tehran's Mehrabad Airport; 8 March 2014 (Mehr News Agency)

Iran, World Powers Wrap Up Experts Talks in Vienna

Talks 'Very Serious and Substantive and Useful' - Iran

Iran and the six world powers ended their expert-level nuclear talks in Vienna on Friday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of IAEA’s Board of Governors session now underway, Fars News Agency reported today.

The talks in Vienna focused on specialized and technical issues, including issues related to Iran’s heavy water reactor in Arak. On March 17-20, the two sides will resume their negotiations led by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton who will represents the P5+1.

“The talks are very serious and substantive and useful,” the head of the Iranian delegation Hamid Baidinejad told Iran's Fars News Agency.

No Deal Today - Yet ‘A Lot of Concrete Progress’

Iran and world powers were unable to seal a deal today, but set 20 November as the date of their next meeting in Geneva to work on concluding an agreement.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton held a post-meeting press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“A lot of concrete progress has been achieved but some issues remain,” Ashton said, adding: “Our objective is to reach a conclusion and that’s what we’ll come back (to Geneva on 20 November) to try to do.” (AFP, 10 November)

Reports indicate that the French concerns over an apparent Iranian unwillingness to delay the completion of its plutonium-producing IR-40 reactor in Arak was one of the stumbling blocks that prevented an agreement today.

“The meetings in Geneva have made it possible to move forward, but we have not yet managed to conclude (a deal), because there are still some questions remaining to be dealt with,” said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

Secretary of State John Kerry was optimistic: “We made a lot of progress,” but need to ‘dot the I’s and cross the t’s’ to reach an agreement. (@StateDept/Twitter)

Photo credit: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at a post-meeting press conference. Geneva, 10 September 2013. (AFP)