France: Three Conditions Necessary for Achieving Nuclear Agreement

Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, outlined the main conditions for reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran during his presence at the nuclear negotiations in Vienna. According to a report by Hanna Kavyani, a correspondent for Radio Farda in Vienna, Mr. Fabius arrived at the Coburg Hotel, the venue for the negotiations, on Saturday afternoon, July 6. The French Foreign Minister emphasized that three main conditions are necessary for achieving a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran, the first being durable restrictions on Iran's research and development of nuclear capabilities. According to Mr. Fabius, the remaining conditions include serious inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities and, if necessary, its military sites, as well as establishing a mechanism for resuming sanctions if Iran fails to meet its commitments. Ultimately, the French Foreign Minister stated that France seeks to achieve a strong agreement that recognizes Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy while ensuring that Iran will not be able to acquire nuclear weapons. The Radio Farda reporter also noted the unexpected arrival of Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, at the Coburg Hotel in Vienna, although Mr. Amano did not speak to reporters. On Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif and John Kerry, the foreign ministers of Iran and the United States, engaged in negotiations with each other. Mr. Zarif stated in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting before the talks: 'We have come to Vienna with the aim of reaching an agreement that respects the interests and rights of the Iranian people and is a good agreement for the whole world.' He added, 'If the other side is willing to recognize the rights of the Iranian people and lift the sanctions, a deal that benefits everyone will certainly be reached.' Iran and the 1+5 group, consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany, have set July 10 as the deadline for reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement. Meanwhile, the European Union announced that Federica Mogherini, the Union's foreign policy chief, will also join the negotiations in Vienna on Sunday. In this context, Obama and Putin discussed the negotiations with Iran over the phone. There are conflicting reports about progress in drafting the comprehensive nuclear agreement four days before the nuclear deadline; 'major disagreements still persist.'