海角大神

Iran stance 'puzzles' negotiators after first day of nuclear talks

The threat of deadlock loomed over Iran nuclear talks in Kazakhstan today after Iran presented a revised set of proposals.

Iran nuclear talks with six world powers faced deadlock as they resumed today, when Iran presented a revised set of proposals that were quickly portrayed as inadequate by Western diplomats.

The world powers had expected 鈥渃oncrete action鈥� from Iran on their latest proposal, which calls on Iran to聽curb its most sensitive nuclear work in exchange for a partial suspension of sanctions.

Iran instead sought to ensure that any first concessions and confidence-building measures were part of a process with defined 鈥渄imensions鈥� and a clear 鈥渇inal outcome,鈥� Ali Bagheri, Iran鈥檚 deputy negotiator told journalists in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Iran had 鈥渟tressed that actions that are referred to as confidence-building measures must be considered as part of a larger, more comprehensive plan. They are not separate,鈥� Mr. Bagheri said of the proposal, which envisions a six-month timeframe and future, unspecified 鈥渁dditional significant steps.鈥�

With one day of talks remaining, it was not yet clear if any initial, incremental agreement was possible, which would be the first out of the year-long diplomatic process.

Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany) held a 鈥渓ong and substantive discussion,鈥� said a Western diplomat, 鈥渂ut we remain a long way apart on the substance. We are now evaluating the situation and will meet again tomorrow.鈥�

Bagheri said Iran presented 鈥渟pecific plans and proposals 鈥� to start a new cooperation,鈥� based on points Iran first put forward in a PowerPoint presentation 10 months ago in Moscow.

A surprise

Yet Iran鈥檚 presentation appeared to surprise the P5+1, which had telegraphed its expectations that Iran commit to its own proposal, put forward at "Almaty I" talks in late February. Iran had hailed that proposal as a potential 鈥渢urning point.鈥�

鈥淲e are somewhat puzzled by the Iranians鈥� characterization of what they presented,鈥� said the Western diplomat after the first session of talks.

鈥淭here has not been a clear and concrete response to the [P5+1鈥檚] Almaty I proposal,鈥� said the diplomat. 鈥淭here were some interesting but not fully explained general comments on our ideas.鈥�

The Iranian presentation 鈥渨as mainly a reworking of what they said in Moscow,鈥� added the Western diplomat. The P5+1 delegates 鈥渋nsisted on a second plenary this afternoon 鈥� so that [Iran] can respond in the kind of detail that will enable us to make progress.鈥�

Iran鈥檚 chief negotiator Saeed Jalili answered all P5+1 questions 鈥渋n detail,鈥� said Bagheri.

The proposal calls on Iran to take the first steps to stop its most sensitive nuclear work 鈥� uranium enriched to 20 percent, which is a few technical steps from bomb-grade 鈥� and to suspend work at a fortified underground facility at Fordow, near the city of Qom.

Only after those steps are taken by Iran, according to a version of the proposal seen by 海角大神, would sanctions be eased on gold and precious metal dealings, and petrochemical exports. Far more painful US and European sanctions against Iran鈥檚 oil exports and central bank would remain untouched.

Though some Iranian officials have said that proposal had 鈥渘o balance,鈥� others have issued positive statements.

Iran鈥檚 chief negotiator Saeed Jalili, on the eve of the Almaty II talks, repeated that one of Iran鈥檚 top priorities 鈥� alongside lifting of sanctions 鈥� was recognition that Iran had the 鈥渞ight鈥� to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

鈥淲e think our talks tomorrow can go forward with one word. That is the acceptance of the rights of Iran, particularly the right to enrichment,鈥� he said at a university in Almaty, according to Reuters.

While those words raised red flags with Iran analysts 鈥撀營ran insisted that that right and sanctions be lifted as a precondition for further discussion at initial talks in Istanbul in January 2012 鈥撀燼n Iranian official said today Mr. Jalili鈥檚 comments did not amount to a precondition in Almaty.聽

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