Iran has declared that negotiations with a group of world powers have reached a “turning point” after it was offered a series of concessions, including sanctions relief on gold and petrochemical exports, in return for acceptance of limits on uranium enrichment.
Two days of talks in the Kazakh city of Almaty between Iran and a six-nation negotiating group ended yesterday with an agreement to hold further meetings aimed at finalising a deal.
In return for a limited relaxation of sanctions, the six-nation group – the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China – maintained its insistence that Iran stop making 20 per cent-enriched uranium, which is relatively easy to turn into weapons-grade material.
However, it relaxed its demand that Iran’s stockpile of 170kg of 20 per cent-enriched uranium be shipped out of the country, allowing Iran to retain enough for a research reactor in Tehran. The six powers also softened the stipulation an underground enrichment plant at Fordow, in central Iran, should be shut down.
In Almaty, the Iranians were asked only to “reduce the readiness” of Fordow while accepting more intrusive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a western diplomat said.
Other officials said enrichment at Fordow would have to be suspended.
The main financial and oil sanctions on Iran would stay in place, but sanctions relief on gold and other precious metals would allow it to sidestep banking restrictions. The ability to export petrochemical products would boost foreign currency earnings and potentially increase its domestic oil-refining capacity.
The chief of the Iranian delegation, Saeed Jalili, welcomed the offer, saying: “We consider these talks a positive step which could be completed by taking a positive and constructive approach and taking reciprocal steps . . . We believe this is a turning point.”
Nuclear experts from all sides are due to meet in Istanbul on March 18th to hammer out details, and another meeting is scheduled for April 5th.
A western diplomat said: “I think we now have traction to get into proper detailed negotiations. This is the first time we have put sanctions relief on the table. It’s more than a gesture, it’s sending a message.” – (Guardian service)