Senior Negotiator Rejects Secrecy in Iran-Powers N. Deal

A senior member of Iran’s negotiating team rejected as baseless the western media reports that parts of the final nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers will be kept secret.

“Such reports are baseless and no part of the comprehensive agreement is secret,” the senior negotiator, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Friday in reaction to some US media report that claimed the two sides have agreed to keep some parts of the final agreement confidential.

“If a comprehensive agreement is achieved, then all related documents and annexes will be published and the Iranian side is insisting on this,” he added.

Bloomberg had claimed in a report earlier today that one of the issues being discussed in the nuclear talks is that what aspects of the possible final agreement between Tehran and the six world powers should be published for the public and what aspects should still remain confidential.

Earlier today, Iranian President’s Chief of Staff Mohammad Nahavandian arrived in Vienna to join the country’s negotiating team in the talks with the world powers.

Nahavandian joined the Iranian negotiating team to provide them with the needed consultations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, President’s special aide Hossein Fereidoun and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi left Tehran for Vienna on Tuesday to attend the Iran-powers nuclear talks.

Zarif, who had traveled to Vienna on Saturday to talk with his counterparts from the six world powers, had a pre-planned trip to Tehran on Sunday.

After arriving in Vienna on Tuesday, the Iranian foreign minister reminded of the high sensitivity of Tehran and the world powers’ last-ditch efforts to reach a final nuclear deal, and said his country wants a fair and balanced agreement.

“The talks have arrived at a highly sensitive stage,” Zarif told reporters.

Asked about the presence of Salehi in this round of nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany), he said given Salehi’s health conditions after his recent medical surgery, his presence “indicates Iran’s seriousness in the negotiations”.

Stressing that the talks are “certainly progressing”, Zarif said, “A sustainable agreement needs political resolve. Tehran will accept a fair and balanced agreement.”

“The other side knows that a good agreement cannot be reached without accepting Iran’s rights,” he added.