The United States reported progress on Tuesday (December 28) “Modesto” in the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, but joined the Europeans in insisting on “The emergency” to conclude discussions on Tehran’s nuclear advances.
“We have noticed in the last few days that there may have been modest progress during the last discussions.”US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters the day after negotiations in Vienna resumed to try to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA).
“But the parties must seek to build on this progress with a constructive spirit and with conviction.”he added, believing that he was “It is too early to say whether this progress [avaient] any substance “. These advances are no matter what “Too slow” Y “This cannot last”the spokesperson continued. “Soon it will be too late to return to mutual respect for the JCPOA”.
” Unprecedented “
The negotiators of the three European countries (France, Germany, United Kingdom) signatories to the agreement also highlighted that this negotiation was ” urgent “. “It is clear that we are approaching the point where the Iranian nuclear escalation will have drained the JCPOA of its substance.”, they pointed out, reiterating that there was “Weeks and not months to reach an agreement”.
In particular, they insisted on Iran’s level of uranium enrichment, which is dangerously close to the nuclear threshold, even if Tehran said on Saturday that it did not intend to enrich more than 60% should the Vienna negotiations fail. . “We take note of the comment of the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran that Iran will not get rich beyond 60 % », they said.
“The fact is that getting rich at 60 % is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons “they added. “Increasing their uranium stocks to 60 % brings Iran significantly closer to obtaining fissile material that can be used to manufacture a nuclear weapon “, they hammered.
The stakes of the talks are to bring the United States back to the pact, which abandoned it in 2018, and to bring Tehran back to respect its commitments, broken in reaction to the reestablishment of US sanctions. Iran notably announced in April that it had started producing 60% enriched uranium, that is, well above the 3.67% threshold set by the international agreement, approaching the 90% required for the manufacture of ‘an atomic bomb even if denies having such a project.
The discussions are still “very difficult”
In addition to the three European countries, China and Russia are also participating in the negotiations with Iran. The United States participates indirectly.
European Union (EU) coordinator Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks, said on Monday that all parties had shown “A clear desire to work for the success of this negotiation” but predicted arguments again “Very difficult” in “Days and weeks to come”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, quoted by the official IRNA news agency, said on Tuesday that the negotiations were ” In the correct way “. “With the goodwill and seriousness of the other parties, we can hope [atteindre] an agreement in the near future “, he said.
According to the permanent representative of Russia to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, the working group on nuclear issues had “A useful meeting” mardi. “We are seeing undeniable progress”he said on Twitter. The lifting of sanctions also “Actively discussed” informally, he added.
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