Conflicting Reports on Iran's New Proposals in Negotiations

While an Iranian diplomat stated that 'new proposals' have been presented for negotiations, Western diplomats have claimed that no new proposals have been made by Tehran. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), an Iranian diplomat said on Wednesday, July 8, that 'Iran has offered constructive proposals to resolve outstanding issues.' The diplomat, whose name was not mentioned, stated, 'There is no flexibility to change the red lines, and these lines cannot be broken; we do not cross the red lines. We believe Iran's red lines do not hinder an agreement.' He added, 'A few specific contentious issues remain, while many issues have been resolved. We have presented constructive proposals that could be decisive, and there are still disagreements in the nuclear discussions, sanctions, and some other important issues.' Reuters, referencing ISNA's report, contacted Western diplomats to learn about the details of the 'new proposals.' Two Western diplomats told Reuters, 'We have not received anything new from the Iranian side.' The report indicates that while most foreign ministers present at the negotiations have left Vienna, Mohammad Javad Zarif and John Kerry, the foreign ministers of Iran and the United States, along with Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, have remained in Vienna to finalize a potential agreement. According to Reuters and some diplomats, a heated discussion occurred on Monday night during negotiations between Zarif and Kerry. An informed source told Reuters, 'It was not the case that one side stood up and slammed the door and left; however, a heated discussion took place.' This source noted that, in Zarif's view, the arms sales restrictions to Iran in the UN Security Council resolution have no relation to the nuclear program and should be lifted. The official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) also reported, citing unnamed sources, that the conversation between Kerry and Zarif was loud enough to be heard outside, prompting one of Kerry's aides to enter the room to remind them that their voices were audible. IRNA also reported, citing Russian, German, and American diplomats without naming them, that another meeting between Zarif and the 1+5 ministers and Federica Mogherini also escalated tensions. According to this news agency, 'In that session, when the opposing side spoke about regional security threats and Iran's role, Zarif angrily told each minister that if the discussion is about regional threats, I should bring all of you to the International Court for supporting Saddam.' He made other comments that worried attendees, fearing that the continuation of the discussion could derail years of negotiations. IRNA added, 'At one point in the meeting, Federica Mogherini said, then let’s go back to our homes. Zarif angrily replied: Never threaten an Iranian. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, immediately added: And a Russian.' According to Reuters, reaching a nuclear agreement between Iran and the United States after the Iranian Revolution and the severance of relations between the two countries is considered a significant event and would be a major achievement for Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani, the presidents of both countries, especially as both are under pressure from domestic hardliners. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with Germany, in the 5+1 group negotiating with Iran, have announced that they have extended the deadline for talks until this Friday. An American official said on Tuesday, 'We are close to the finish line, and whether we reach an agreement will be clear soon.' The report indicates that the most challenging part of the discussions concerns the lifting of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. China and Russia, which were not strong supporters of the sanctions, support lifting them. According to some Western sources, in the meantime, Russia, which is itself under sanctions from the US and the EU, is advocating for the lifting of Iran's sanctions. Laurent Fabius and Philip Hammond, the foreign ministers of France and the UK, are scheduled to return to Vienna on Wednesday.