Britain: Iran Must Make More Concessions for Nuclear Agreement

The British Foreign Secretary says Iran must make more concessions to reach a nuclear agreement, and there are still many unresolved issues remaining to achieve a deal. Philip Hammond, who traveled to Saudi Arabia, told reporters on Monday, March 23, after discussions with his Saudi counterpart Saud al-Faisal, that there are 'still many difficult issues that remain unresolved' in the nuclear negotiations with Iran. According to Reuters, he stated that although there has been 'significant progress' in recent weeks in the nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers, reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement will be 'very challenging.' He added, 'If we want to reach an agreement, Iran must take significantly more actions.' The British Foreign Secretary, whose country is part of the negotiating team with Iran, further stated that there are complex and difficult issues that need to be resolved before a workable agreement can be reached. He noted that achieving a sustainable and feasible comprehensive agreement faces many challenges, but reaching this agreement is 'in the interest of all parties.' China, Russia, the United States, France, Britain, and Germany—the members of the P5+1 group—are negotiating with Iran to reach a political agreement by the end of March and a comprehensive nuclear agreement by the end of June. In another part of his remarks on Monday, Philip Hammond assured Saudi officials that Britain would not accept an agreement 'at any cost.' He added that the right agreement allows Iran to have a peaceful nuclear program but prevents 'the capacity to develop nuclear weapons.' The British Foreign Secretary reiterated their position that 'no agreement is better than a bad agreement.' However, the Al Arabiya television network reported that Saud al-Faisal, in a joint press conference with his British counterpart, stated that 'Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons poses a threat to regional and global security.' He remarked, 'You cannot gift Iran an agreement it does not deserve.' Meanwhile, Abbas Araqchi, a senior member of the Iranian negotiating team regarding the nuclear program, said on March 22 in an interview with Iranian state television that any agreement must be balanced and equitable, with equal reversibility or irreversibility for both parties. Araqchi also mentioned that technical solutions have been found for continuing negotiations from March 24, but politically, efforts must continue. In related news, 367 congressional representatives stated that restrictions on Iran's nuclear program should continue for decades. Khamenei stated that the lifting of sanctions without delay must be part of the nuclear agreement. The CIA chief noted that Iran knows the consequences of a nuclear weapons program will be severe. Araqchi reiterated that any agreement must be balanced and equitable. The Israeli Strategic Minister expressed disbelief that the U.S. would abandon one of its closest allies.