Senior Iranian Official: 70% of Technical Annex to Draft Nuclear Deal Written

A Senior Iranian Official announced on Sunday evening that drafting the technical annex to the final nuclear agreement between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) is nearing completion with only a few items left open.

“70 percent of the technical annex to the final nuclear deal between Tehran and the six major world powers has been drafted,” an Iranian diplomat in the nuclear talks underway in Vienna said.

The source, who asked to remain unnamed, further pointed out that the technical annex – which is one of the five annexations of the final agreement – covers issues such as “nuclear research and development, Fordo nuclear enrichment center, Arak heavy water reactor, and the type of the centrifuges that will be used by Iran for the production of stable isotopes”.

He added that “the technical annex is about 32 pages, and only a few items have been left open”.

“According to the technical annex, all the nuclear activities of Iran will continue,” he emphasized.

Yet, the negotiator expressed cautious optimism about attainment of a final nuclear deal.

The Iranian negotiator also categorically rejected reports by AP and New York Times alleging that Iran has agreed to send its enriched uranium stockpile to Russia, saying there are four options on the table which are still under discussion, including dilution of the enriched uranium, exchanging it with raw uranium plus the enrichment costs, and selling the excess fuel.

He said one of the 6 parties to the talks has even offered to purchase Iran’s excess N. fuel.

The Associated Press and New York Times had quoted some sources as claiming that Tehran has agreed with the transfer of its enriched uranium to Russia.

The diplomat further regretted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reliance on unauthentic intel with regard to the PMD (possible military dimensions) allegations against Tehran, and said it is of much more regret that the UN nuclear watchdog agency’s assessment of this issues has dragged on for almost a decade.

He noted IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano’s recent visit to Tehran, and said, “Amano was told Tehran wants the IAEA to rapidly present its report on the PMD allegations and close the case.”

The diplomat reiterated the untruthful nature of the PMD allegations, and said it is not at all a difficult job for Tehran to prove that these claims are all baseless and wrong.

Amano said on Saturday in uncertain remarks that his organization might eventually prepare a report on allegations about possible military dimensions of Iran’s past nuclear activities by the end of 2015.

The Iranian negotiator also added that “the IAEA Deputy Head will arrive in Tehran on Sunday night to resolve the PMD issue as soon as possible,” official added.

An informed source told FNA earlier that the delegation is slated to hold talks with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) officials over the PMD allegations.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underlined Tehran’s determination to reach a final deal with the G5+1, and called on the other side to adopt a realistic approach towards a final deal.

The remarks came as Iran and the 6 world powers are in the final phase of their last round of talks in Vienna to draft a final deal to end their over-a-decade-long nuclear standoff.