Advocates and critics of Lausanne agreement meet nuclear negotiators

April 21, 2015 - 0:0

TEHRAN – The remaining part of the nuclear talks between Iran and the 5+1 world powers is easy unless some “involved hands” complicate the issue, a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator says.

Seyed Abbas Araqchi made the remarks while addressing a gathering of proponents and opponents of the Lausanne nuclear talks in Allameh Tabatabai University.

Araqchi, the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said the rest of the nuclear talks is much easier than the past as most outstanding issues are taken care of. However, he said, the other side might change policy that would cripple the talks and complicate the whole issue.

As an example, he referred to a recent U.S. Senate committee bill as “the latest effort by the Congress to enter the talks”.

The bill has required President Barack Obama to seek congressional approval for a lifting sanctions on Iran.

Addressing the critics of the Lausanne statement, Araqchi also said if the tentative deal was not to Iran’s benefit, the U.S. Congress would not have made so much effort to sabotage it.

“We have not clinched any deals yet. We would sign only one deal to be implemented in a single stage. If materialized, it [the signing of the deal] would be by the end of June,” Araqchi said.

-------- Iran seeks a ‘good deal’

However, the other Iranian negotiator Majid Takht-Ravanchi did not fully agree with Araqchi as to the rest of the talks being so “easy”.

Addressing the gathering, Takht-Ravanchi the deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, said the country has always sought a “good deal” in the nuclear talks with the 5+1 group.

Takht-Ravanchi, a nuclear negotiator although less vocal than Araqchi, said “the negotiations are complicated and we are making every efforts to clinch a good deal.”

“We would depart [to Vienna] on Wednesday for the complicated and sensitive negotiations. We are currently in the drafting stage, which is a tough work. However, we would pursue the talks with seriousness,” he said.

“We negotiate with ‘open eyes’ and utmost care. The talks are complicated and we make every efforts to sign a good deal,” Takht-Ravanchi concluded.

MD/P