Iran's nuclear negotiating team, chaired by Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi, engaged in intensive discussions with Catherine Ashton's deputy and the American side on the third day of the sixth round of negotiations between Iran and the 1+5 in Vienna. These negotiations, held on Saturday, included various meetings focused on drafting the text of the comprehensive nuclear agreement (Joint Action Plan) and addressing key related issues.
Details of the Negotiations and Meetings
The meeting between the deputies of Zarif and Catherine Ashton took place at 8:30 AM local time on Saturday at the Palais Coburg hotel and lasted for four hours. In the afternoon of the same day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of deputies Mohammad Javad Zarif and Catherine Ashton, as well as William Burns, the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, which lasted about three hours. Additionally, a round of expert meetings was chaired by Hamid Baidi-Nejad, Director General for Political and International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Stephen Clement, Senior Assistant to Catherine Ashton.
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The intensive negotiations concluded on the third day in Vienna, and it is still unclear how these discussions will proceed on Sunday. The negotiations between Iran and the 1+5 continue following the Geneva agreement, which aims to reach a comprehensive and long-term agreement regarding Iran's nuclear program.
Background of the Negotiations and Challenges
The Iranian negotiating team, which traveled to Vienna on July 2, engaged in discussions with delegations from China, Russia, and the United States on their first day. Mohammad Javad Zarif, as the head of the diplomatic apparatus, met with representatives from Russia and China and held talks with Catherine Ashton on this day. On the second day, the negotiating team participated in the opening session of the sixth round of negotiations and subsequently held bilateral meetings with the American side and European countries.
In the fifth round of negotiations between Iran and the 1+5, held at the end of June, the drafting of the comprehensive nuclear agreement began. Zarif announced at the end of this round of negotiations that there was still no common text at this stage and that there were disagreements on some issues. These negotiations aim to address concerns and ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.
The introduction of the Joint Action Plan states that the goal of these negotiations is to reach a comprehensive and long-term solution that ensures Iran's nuclear program will remain entirely peaceful. This agreement will also lead to the lifting of Security Council sanctions and national sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program.
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