Iran talks: Awaiting history, reporters Twitter away the hours
As they waited for news, any news, journalists settled into an unfulfilling routine of chasing evasive officials and half-hearted bird-watching. Even chocolate lost its magic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (center l.), US Secretary of State John Kerry (center r.), and European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini (2nd r.) arrive to deliver statements after nuclear talks at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne Thursday, April 2, 2015. Iran and world powers reached a framework on curbing Iran's nuclear program at marathon talks in Switzerland on Thursday that will allow further negotiations toward a final agreement.
Brendan Smialowski/Reuters
Lausanne, Switzerland
Buttoned up in a long coat against the chill wind coming off Lake Geneva, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran was getting some fresh air Thursday after pulling an 8-1/2-hour, all-night negotiating session with US Secretary of State John Kerry.
But if Mr. Zarif had hopes for a few reflective moments, to consider the fate of nuclear talks hanging in the balance after a 12-year standoff with world powers, they were dashed by a media stampede that raced to him like a sugar-starved colony of ants that had just come across a fresh apple core.
Hours before the dramatic evening announcement of a framework agreement on limiting Iran鈥檚 nuclear program, Zarif was cornered as he entered the Beau Rivage hotel through a wrought iron gate.
鈥淚 believe it can be done, otherwise I wouldn鈥檛 be wasting my time,鈥� he said, facing the cameras as the media scrum thickened.
More questions came as Zarif walked up the stairs, issuing fly-by quotes as hotel guards pushed a path through the wall of journalists.
鈥淲e are trying to finish this stage of our work,鈥� Zarif explained, noting that 鈥渟ome issues have yet to be resolved.鈥�
Zarif and his fellow negotiators have grown used to unrelenting media scrutiny 鈥� and to giving such anodyne quotes 鈥� in the dozens of rounds of nuclear talks since early 2012.
And journalists, too, have grown used to waiting, day after day, leaping up and clustering at the sight of any diplomat, hoping to be thrown a crumb of fact or insight from the nuclear negotiating table.
鈥淭hings learned covering #irantalks: it is never a mistake to eat breakfast. When you see running cameramen/women, duck/get out of the way,鈥� tweeted Laura Rozen, an incessant tweeter on negotiating rounds, who writes for Al Monitor.
Chocolate loses its power
The journalists have been settled in large press rooms at the elegant Beau Rivage, in chaotic counterpoint to the wood columns, plush upholstery, and gilt trim that befit the hotel where the Ottoman Empire was dismantled in 1923.
Clustered tightly around tables heaving with computers, cameras, and tape recorders, reporters fueled by coffee and junk food battled chronic sleep deprivation.
At every round, an active rumor mill dominates pointless speculation, that turns into 鈥� especially at critical deadline moments 鈥� an emotional roller coaster.
鈥淭his is like reading tea leaves, but turning the cup upside down a fourth and fifth time, and writing the same story,鈥� noted Jonathan Tirone of Bloomberg, a veteran of talks coverage.
His Bloomberg colleague Indira Lakshmanan, also a veteran nuclear talks reporter, was more sharp in her humor. She tweeted in all capital letters: 鈥淏reaking 鈥� Hostage crisis Lausanne enters eighth day. Victims tortured with sleep deprivation, lack of info. Even chocolate fails to ease pain.鈥�
The same official lines have been heard for years: There is always 鈥渟ome progress,鈥� and always 鈥済aps remain.鈥� The 鈥渙ther side鈥� always has to make tough political decisions, while 鈥渨e are ready.鈥�
When asked if a deal would be done Thursday, for example, the head of Iran鈥檚 atomic energy organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, replied: 鈥淒on鈥檛 rush.鈥� And at lunchtime, Mr. Kerry told Britain鈥檚 Channel 4 correspondent Lindsey Hilsum that the negotiators were 鈥渨orking hard.鈥�
For the birds
There is a limit to how much even professional journalists can do, in the middle of such a news vacuum.
Ms. Hilsum鈥檚 Twitter feed has had some more poetic moments, among tweets of lake birdlife that could have been under the hashtag #IranTalksOrnithologist.
鈥淎ll Great Crested Grebes on Lac Leman asleep 鈥� not expecting rapid #irantalks progress. Also saw sparrows squabbling,鈥� reads one.
And another, referring to TS Eliot鈥檚 The Wasteland: 鈥淍TSEliot: Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? These are the kind of questions journalists at #IranTalks ask selves.鈥�
And from the BBC鈥檚 Lyse Doucet: 鈥淟ooks like Lausanne is getting in #IranTalks mood. Patisserie is playing 鈥楽hould I stay or should I go?鈥欌��
The music theme was also used for a photograph of the Iranian nuclear team walking across a sidewalk, looking exactly like the Beatles crossing the street on the Abbey Road album cover. The photo created a string of jokes, including, inevitably, references to 鈥淎 Hard Day鈥檚 Night.鈥�
Biking, jogging, and laundry
The last two round of nuclear talks in Lausanne have produced remarkable scenes: Kerry fully kitted out in bike racing gear, cycling along the lake front; China鈥檚 foreign minister taking a run at every opportunity; and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov 鈥� just as he did during tough talks in Geneva in November 2013 鈥� down in the hotel bar, ordering a stiff drink.
There have also been moments of near-total defeat.
The BBC Persian cameraman Trevor Lloyd has taken to making videos that show storm clouds speeding over the Beau Rivage, in a time-lapse sequence, with the sound of birds tweeting. Then he adds words, pleading for a speedy result.
The latest? 鈥淒ear 5+1 Ministers, I have now completely run out of clean underwear. That is all.鈥�