Zarif: Failure of N. Talks No Deadlock to Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said there is still a good chance for the success of the nuclear talks between Tehran and the world powers, but meantime underlined that failure of the negotiations would never mean the end of world to Iran.
“There is still an over 50-percent chance for the attainment of an agreement and I feel that both sides believe that success and attainment of an agreement will be much better and useful than failure in the negotiations; yet, failure in reaching an understanding will not be the end of the world but both sides have spent their time and political prestige in the success of these talks,” Zarif said in an interview on Saturday.
He stressed that the chances for the failure of the talks will be alive as long as agreement is not attained on all issues and details, and said, “As it was said in the Geneva agreement (November 2013), as long as an agreement is not made on all issues, nothing has been agreed on.”
Asked about the removal of the sanctions against Iran, Zarif said, “Removal of the UN Security Council sanctions aren’t complicated and merely depends on the political will (of the other side).”
In relevant remarks on Thursday, Zarif underscored that political and not technical difficulties have prevented striking a final agreement with the world powers.
Zarif told the Kyodo News that the remaining difficulties in the talks were not technical anymore and were political, urging the West to make a political decision.
“Sanctions and an agreement don’t go together,” he said, adding, “We have a very clear mandate that all sanctions must go.”
The Iranian foreign minister stressed the importance of creating a verification mechanism to secure the implementation of the agreement.
“If there is an agreement and our parliament approves, Iran is accepting to abide by even more stringent international controls,” he said.
The Iranian foreign minister was in Montreux, western Switzerland, for three-day nuclear talks through Wednesday with US Secretary of State John Kerry.
His remarks came after representatives of Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) wrapped up deputy-level negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program in the city of Montreux, Switzerland.
The talks are expected to resume in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 15.
Both Iran and the G5+1 negotiators have underlined that cutting a final deal before the July 10 deadline is possible.
