Germany: Iran Should Not Evade Its Previous Commitments in Nuclear Negotiations

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, stated that if Iran wishes to sign a final nuclear agreement with six world powers by next week as scheduled, it should not evade its previous commitments. According to the German news agency, the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, and France met on Monday, June 1, with Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, in Luxembourg to kick off the final round of high-level negotiations between the two sides. The German Foreign Minister said that reaching a final agreement is likely, adding, "But for it to materialize, Iran must continue constructive negotiations instead of evading and maneuvering on the last details." Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany reached a temporary agreement in April in Lausanne, agreeing to continue negotiations until a final result is achieved by the end of June. Under this agreement, Iran commits to reduce its production of nuclear fuel that could potentially be used for military purposes, in exchange for the lifting of some sanctions against Iran. The two sides have yet to agree on the pace of lifting sanctions and the extent and manner of international inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran is seeking a quicker lifting of sanctions and more limited inspections compared to what the six world powers envision. The German Foreign Minister expressed hope that the Iranians would adhere closely to the terms of the Lausanne agreement in their negotiation strategy, neither reducing nor adding to that agreement. France: Seeking a Strong Agreement with Iran Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, stated that he seeks a "strong" agreement with Iran that includes all necessary mechanisms to verify Iran's commitments. According to Reuters, Mr. Fabius said on June 1 in Luxembourg, after meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif, that "France wants an agreement (on the nuclear issue with Iran) but is not looking for a bad deal. We want a strong agreement that both confirms Iran's commitments and reinstates sanctions if Iran does not cooperate." The French Foreign Minister stated that the desired agreement includes time limits on Iran's nuclear research and production capabilities and a monitoring process for verification, including military sites if necessary. This report indicates that among the countries known as the P5+1 negotiating with Iran, France has taken a tougher stance than the other countries in this group. The French Foreign Minister noted that all of this is important because it plays a role in both regional security and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Earlier, Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Minister, stated that Iran must show "more flexibility in negotiations" and added that negotiations might extend beyond the set deadline. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, emphasized that he adheres to the terms of the Lausanne agreement but also reminded that negotiations might take longer than the deadline agreed upon by both sides, which is the end of June. The Iranian Foreign Minister added, "In nuclear negotiations, reaching a good agreement is more important than adhering to the set deadline at any cost." Mr. Zarif is scheduled to travel to Vienna later this week for the final stage of negotiations with representatives of the six world powers.