Failure to reach P5+1 nuclear deal no catastrophe: Iran

A top Iranian official says no “catastrophe” will happen if Tehran and six world powers fail to reach a final agreement over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program.

“The Geneva deal has provided an opportunity for us to reach a final deal; however, even if we don’t reach an agreement … no catastrophe will happen,” said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday.

Part of the Iran-P5+1 talks revolve around topics such as the level of uranium enrichment in Iran, the country’s Arak nuclear facility, the final deal timetable and the anti-Iran sanctions, he said, adding, “divisions still remain on some of these issues, but we have narrowed our differences on some others.”
Araqchi expressed hope that Iran and the six countries would be able to bring their views closer together in the coming month. To that end, he said, the opposite side should “show good will and avoid making excessive demands.”

He said that representatives of Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany would resume their nuclear talks on the sidelines of the annual gathering of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

He also said that Iran would hold one-on-one talks with six world powers over Tehran’s nuclear energy program ahead of the UN General Assembly’s meeting.

Araqchi described the talks as complicated and detailed, saying it would require hours of discussion on each issue even after the two negotiating sides reach an initial agreement.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – China, Russia, Britain, France, and the United States – plus Germany are to resume their negotiations to discuss ways of reaching a final agreement over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

The two sides clinched a landmark interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23, 2013. The agreement, which took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20, has been extended until November 24.