Iran must reduce nuclear fuel capacity to secure deal: Kerry

VIENNA - Agence France-Presse

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry addresses the media during a news conference in Vienna July 15, 2014. REUTERS Photo

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on July 15 Tehran must reduce its capacity to make nuclear fuel if it wants to secure a long-term deal with six world powers that would bring an end to  sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.
   
"We have made it crystal clear that the 19,000 (centrifuges) that are currently part of their programme is too many," Kerry told reporters after three days of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
   
In a New York Times interview, Zarif floated the idea of  Tehran keeping its enrichment programme at current levels for a few years before expanding it.
   
Kerry was responding to a question about a major speech by Iran's Supreme Leader, which diplomats said has limited the ability of the Iranian delegation to make concessions with the six powers and could make it difficult for Tehran to reach a deal, diplomats close to the talks said.
  
 Zarif's proposal is consistent with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's speech from last week on Iran's long-term nuclear demands and is an idea the Iranian delegation raised in recent weeks with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, diplomats said.
   
Without going into details, Kerry made clear that Iran's proposals so far have been insufficient, though he added: "We've made progress."
   
"It is clear we still have more work to do and our team will continue to work very hard to try to reach a comprehensive agreement that resolves the international community's concern," he said.
    
Talks extention?
   
With a self-imposed July 20 deadline five days away, Iran and the six are trying to bridge major differences in negotiating positions over a deal intended to end a decade-long dispute over a nuclear programme which Tehran says is peaceful.
   
The West fears Tehran's nuclear activities may be aimed at developing a nuclear weapons capability.
   
"I am returning to Washington today to consult with President (Barack) Obama and leaders in Congress over the coming days about our prospects for a comprehensive agreement, as well as a path forward if we do not achieve on July 20, including whether or not more time is needed," he said.
   
One option is to extend the talks for up to six months, which is theoretically possible according to an interim agreement Iran and the powers signed in November and began implementing in January. The interim deal gave Iran limited sanctions relief in exchange for curbing some atomic work.
   
A senior U.S. official said on Saturday that an extension would be difficult to consider without first seeing "significant progress on key issues".
   
It was not immediately clear if the progress Kerry spoke of on Tuesday was enough to justify an extension.
   
Earlier this week, a senior U.S. official said Iran was sticking to "unworkable and inadequate" positions during the closed-door negotiations, which began in February.
   
Zarif said on Tuesday that he had held good talks with Kerry, though he said "Washington needs to take a political decision... to end the deadlock." He did not offer any detail.
    
A history of hiding sensitive nuclear work from U.N. inspectors has kept international suspicions about Iran's nuclear programme high and heightened the risk of a new Middle East war should diplomacy fail to yield a long-term settlement.
  
Back in Washington two influential U.S. senators have asked fellow lawmakers to support demands that Iran accept tough conditions in nuclear talks, including at least two decades of inspections, before Congress would agree to ease sanctions.
   
In the New York Times interview, Zarif said any limits on Iran's nuclear programme should be lifted after three to seven years. But Washington wants it to run for more than a decade, U.S. officials have said.