GENEVA: Talks on curbing Iran’s nuclear program ended with no deal early Sunday after France objected that proposed measures didn’t go far enough. US Secretary of State John Kerry said “significant progress” had been made on the remaining differences.
Six world powers and Iran agreed to resume talks on November 20.
Both sides badly wanted agreement. The US and its five partners were looking for initial caps on Iran’s ability to make an atomic bomb, while Tehran sought some easing of sanctions stifling its economy.
But France would not soften its concerns over Iran’s plutonium project and the level of its uranium enrichment program.
Kerry, speaking to reporters after the talks broke up, acknowledged there were “certain issues that we needed to work through.”
“We’re grateful to the French for the work we did together,” Kerry said.
The talks showed the enormous complexity facing negotiators after a generation of mistrust between Iran and the West since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Any agreement would be a breakthrough after nearly a decade of mostly inconclusive discussions.
Still, Kerry’s talks in Geneva were the longest high-level negotiations between Iran and the United States in decades — a sign of the improved atmosphere between the two countries since moderate President Hassan Rouhani took office in August.
As the talks foundered after initial signs of progress, Kerry rushed to Geneva on Friday, followed by counterparts from Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, to try to push through an agreement.
Selective justice is no justice. I trust after the ‘deal’ with Iran there will be a ‘deal’ with Israel?
Justice for all? right?