U.S. Official: Draft Resolution on Iran Being Prepared by Security Council

While the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the 1+5 group have been extended until Friday, a senior U.S. official stated on Tuesday, July 6, that negotiators are preparing a new draft resolution to be presented to the United Nations Security Council regarding a comprehensive agreement with Iran. The unnamed U.S. official told AFP, "In a potential agreement with Iran, restrictions (sanctions) regarding the Islamic Republic's missile program and arms trade will continue." Since the Iranian nuclear file was transferred from the International Atomic Energy Agency to the UN Security Council, the council has issued six resolutions imposing sanctions against Iran. According to these resolutions, Iran's missile program as well as arms exports and imports have also been sanctioned. Meanwhile, the U.S. announced that despite the deadline for extending the nuclear negotiations ending on Tuesday, July 6, these negotiations have been extended until Friday, three days later. In this context, the suspension of sanctions against Iran as per the interim Geneva agreement will continue and remain valid until Friday. Meanwhile, a meeting of the foreign ministers of the 5+1 was held on Tuesday without the presence of the Chinese and Russian ministers. Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, also left the negotiation venue on Tuesday evening. Reports also indicate that a U.S. official regarding the Iran 1+5 nuclear negotiations stated, "If we do not reach an agreement after all this negotiation, progress, and nearing the finish line, it will be a tragedy." "More work needed" Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Tuesday that senior agency officials have made "further progress" in their negotiations in Tehran, but resolving remaining issues requires more work. According to Reuters, the IAEA stated that its high-level delegation in Tehran had constructive discussions to resolve "all remaining issues" with Iranian officials. According to the agency's statement, this delegation traveled to Tehran following negotiations that Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the IAEA, had with senior Iranian officials. The agency stated, "In the negotiations on Monday with senior Iranian officials, further progress was made, but more work is needed in this regard." In this context, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, regarding the recent visit of the IAEA delegation to Tehran, stated that in negotiations with this delegation, "a significant step was taken towards resolving remaining issues by achieving a principled understanding regarding the agenda of topics and the timeline of joint cooperation." According to the official Islamic Republic news agency, IRNA, Mr. Kamalvandi stated that the visit of the IAEA delegation following the recent trip of its Director General "demonstrates the serious determination of the parties to enhance effective cooperation." The five-member IAEA delegation traveled to Tehran on Tuesday morning and left the Iranian capital early on Wednesday. "Potential military dimensions" in Iran's nuclear program remain one of the unresolved issues between Iran and the agency. The agency is seeking inspections of "suspect" military sites, but the Iranian leader has explicitly stated that he opposes visits to Iran's military sites. One of the sites the agency wants to visit is the Parchin military center, and agency inspectors have so far been unable to visit this area.