Nuclear talks at the technical level between Iran and the 5+1 bore fruit after two days in Geneva, bringing the nuclear agreement reached in November closer to implementation.
Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held four rounds of talks with Helga Schmid, the deputy for the 5+1 chief negotiator, Catherine Ashton. On Thursday, their American counterpart, Wendy Sherman, also joined the talks in Geneva while on her way to Moscow.
Araghchi told IRNA that all outstanding issues have now been resolved at that level, and the deal has been forwarded to the respective capitals in order to be finalized.
Araghchi referred to his earlier statement about certain “technical and political differences” posing obstacles to the agreement, saying those issues finally had been resolved, but the agreement still needs the final approval of the appropriate governments.
Once approved, the Geneva agreement could then be implemented. According to this temporary agreement, world powers would suspend some of the sanctions against Iran and refrain from imposing new ones, while Iran would suspend some of its nuclear activities.
Spokespeople for Catherine Ashton and the White House have both expressed satisfaction with the progress of the talks and, like Araghchi, they have stated that the outcome has to yet be approved by the respective governments.
