Briefing: Iran nuclear talks stall but hope remains

Negotiations failed to end the deadlock between Iran and the United Nations (UN) at the weekend over its nuclear programme.

But western diplomats are still hopeful for a breakthrough, with talks expected to resume next Wednesday. 

A resolution would end years of tension over Iran’s enrichment of uranium, which some countries suspect is a clandestine activity towards the creation of nuclear weapons. The UN has imposed economic sanctions on Iran since 2006, on condition it ends the enrichment.

Iran however, claims it is only producing medical radioisotopes and fuel for civilian energy. Amanda Dale takes a look at why the talks are so important.

What’s happening?

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with ministers from the UN Security Council’s P5+1 (US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany) in Geneva at the weekend to try to forge an agreement over the country’s nuclear programme.

A breakthrough seemed imminent but Zarif blamed France for “gutting over half” of a draft  document.

He is however, optimistic of an agreement, reporting on Twitter: “We are committed to constructive engagement… ”

US Secretary of State John Kerry said a resolution had been “extremely close”.

The delegates will reconvene on November 20.

Why has there been so much conflict?

International leaders suspect Iran is developing nuclear weapons and that this will further destabilize the Middle East — possibly even provoking a pre-emptive strike by Israel, which is also suspected of developing a nuclear arsenal. The row dates back to 2002 when it emerged Iran was developing a uranium enrichment plant at Natanz and a heavy-water reactor at Arak.

In 2006 the International Atomic Energy Agency  (IAEA) referred Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to comply with its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement.

This led to years of sanctions by the UN in an attempt to stop Iran enriching uranium.

In 2009, Iran disclosed a new uranium enrichment plant at Fordo. A 2011 IAEA report claimed Iran was undertaking  activities “relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device”. Since 2012, additional sanctions have been imposed.

The IAEA estimates Iran has a stockpile of 410 pounds (185 kg) of uranium at 20 percent purity, and has warned the nuclear programme could have “military dimensions”. 

The uranium only needs to be enriched to 90 per cent to be usable in a nuclear warhead.

Israel’s leaders have threatened military strikes against Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. 

What does the UN want?

International leaders are asking Iran to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent purity.  They also want Iran to destroy its stockpile of  nuclear fuel and not to activate a plutonium reactor at Arak.

What would Iran get in return?

In response, the UN’s P5+1 would unfreeze some Iranian assets in overseas banks and relax sanctions on trade in gold, precious metals and petrochemicals.

Why is a deal being sought now?

In June, Hassan Rouhani won the presidential election in Iran.

This led to a thawing of US-Iran relations. Rouhani reached out to the west, saying Iran wanted to end sanctions crippling its economy.

He transferred responsibility for nuclear negotiations to US-educated Zarif — away from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Rouhani is the first Iranian leader to speak to a US leader since 1979. In a phone conversation with President Barack Obama he agreed to speed up talks to end the crisis. 

Sources: BBC News, CNN