Asia

Home page

Asia

World powers, Iran in new attempt to clinch nuclear deal

20 November 2013 23:28 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Big powers resumed talks on Wednesday on a preliminary deal to curb Iran's nuclear program with Russia and Britain confident a breakthrough could be clinched and Iran spelling out "red lines" but saying it wanted friendly ties with all nations, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Keen to end a long standoff and head off the risk of a wider Middle East war, the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany came close to winning concessions from Tehran on its nuclear activity in return for some sanctions relief at negotiations in Geneva earlier this month.

Policymakers from the six nations have since said an interim accord on confidence-building steps could finally be within reach, despite warnings from diplomats that differences persist and could still foil an agreement.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the remaining gaps were narrow. "It is the best chance for a long time to make progress on one of the gravest problems in foreign policy," he told a news conference during a visit to Istanbul.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier: "We hope the efforts that are being made will be crowned with success at the meeting that opens today in Geneva."

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Li Baodong, head of China's delegation in Geneva, told Reuters: "Things are on track."

Western governments suspect Iran has enriched uranium with the covert aim of developing the means to fuel nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies. Refined uranium is used to run nuclear power stations - Iran's stated goal - but cam also constitute the core of a nuclear bomb, if enriched to a high degree.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech as Western negotiators gathered in the Swiss city that the Islamic Republic would not step back from its nuclear rights and he had set "red lines" for his envoys in Geneva.

But he added, according to his official website: "We want to have friendly relations with all nations and peoples. The Islamic system isn't even hostile to the nation of America, although with regards to Iran and the Islamic system, the American government is arrogant, malicious and vindictive."

Khamenei also criticized France, which spoke out against a draft deal floated at the November 7-9 round, for "succumbing to the United States" and "kneeling before the Israeli regime". France said the comments were unacceptable.