Moscow says no guarantees of breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday he believes there are no guarantees of a breakthrough at nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers as many controversial issues still remain unresolved. Ryabkov said last week’s meeting of negotiators at the level of political directors in Geneva was “one of the most challenging over the whole period of negotiations.” “Of course, this is primarily explained by the fact that they are nearing the finishing date,” Ryabkov said. Under the November deal in Vienna, the sides are to devise the political framework by late March and to ensure the adoption of the so-called implementation documents or technical supplements to the agreement by the end of June. Talks have been also intense as major differences remain on a majority of issues in dispute despite the increased high-level contacts of late, the diplomat said, adding that the progress is very “slow.” “There are no guarantees that this progress is transformed into a decisive shift, a breakthrough or a compromise - we have no such guarantees,” Ryabkov stressed. “There is no understanding on the date and the venue of the next round of talks,” Ryabkov said, adding however that there is a common understanding with Tehran that the talks will be held in early February. The diplomat said the schedule for talks for the period is rather busy and there are some difficulties in agreeing on the date, but the sides are able to overcome these problems as they understand the importance of the process. “Probably, we will not break up this agreement, and the next round of talks will be held in two weeks and that's earlier than such contacts have been held before. There is no agreement on the venue. I am not sure that the next round will be held in Geneva,” he said. P5+1 is the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France plus Germany. Iran says it needs nuclear power to generate electricity, but Western powers led by the United States claim Iran’s eventual aim is to create nuclear weapons. Read more