Hague: Nuclear Deal ‘Far from Certain’

British Foreign Minister William Hague said in an interview published today by Austrian daily Wiener Zeitung that significant differences remain between world powers and Iran in negotiations in Vienna over Iran’s nuclear program. Hague said a deal is “far from certain,” but all possibilities should be exhausted.

“Achieving an agreement is far from certain,” Hague said. “Significant differences remain... which are yet to be bridged. But I am convinced that the current negotiations are the best opportunity we have had in years to resolve this issue.” (Wiener Zeitung/Reuters, 10 July)

This week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had apparently raised the bar for the Iranian negotiators by saying Iran needed to significantly increase its capacity to enrich uranium to meet its long-term energy needs.

Iran’s official news agency IRNA quoted Khamenei on Tuesday as saying Iran would need some 190,000 “separative work units” or SWU, the overall enrichment capacity expressed in a specialist term. Based on that figure, the Iranian negotiators now have to negotiate for more than 200,000 centrifuges. The country currently has only about 10,000 centrifuges in operation.

Rouhani in New York

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his foreign policy team arrived in New York on Sunday for a week of high-stake diplomacy during and on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly.

- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met on Monday with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. The two chair the Iranian and P5+1 delegations respectively in talks on Iranian nuclear program.

- Zarif on Monday also met with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who put a photo of their handshaking on Twitter.

- President Hassan Rouhani will address the UNGA on Tuesday. He is expected to call for UN support of Iran’s nuclear rights and use of diplomacy to resolve the Syrian conflict. Rouhani, however, is also expected to use a moderate tone unheard of in the eight years of Ahmadinejad’s administration, in what is now called the Iranian “charm offensive,” to raise the international status of Iran.

- On Thursday, Zarif and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will head their delegations during the P5+1 foreign minister meeting. The symbolic gathering is expected to set a positive tone for the upcoming nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six major powers.

- Rouhani could also meet with President Barrack Obama. The U.S. president will open the UNGA meeting on Tuesday. Rouhani will address the UNGA on the same day.

- Rouhani will also chair the meeting of Non-Aligned Movement in New York on Thursday.

Photo from top to bottom:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Reuters)

President Rouhani and Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaee making their way to Manhattan (@HassanRouhani / Twitter)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and British Foreign Secretary William Hague (@WilliamJHague / Twitter)

Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (IRIB)

Photos of Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who will attend the P5+1/Iran foreign ministers meeting on Thursday (AFP)

Israel Says Iran Undeterred by World Pressure

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that it's clear that economic and diplomatic pressure have been “unable to prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear weapons program.”

Netanyahu said a new report by the IAEA shows that international pressure is having no effect on halting Iran's nuclear program.
Netanyahu made the comments during a joint press conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

The IAEA said this week that Iran has upgraded its uranium enrichment capabilities, by installing more efficient centrifuges known as IR-2m at Natanz, and moved closer to completion of its plutonium-producing reactor at Arak.

Photo credit: British Foreign Secretary William Hague, left, listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint news conference in Jerusalem, Thursday 23 May 2013 (AP)