VIENNA (AP) — Nearly seven weeks after signing a landmark nuclear deal, representatives of Iran and six world powers hope to reach agreement this week on its implementation.
But differences over Tehran’s push to improve its uranium enrichment abilities could further delay enactment and strengthen critics of the accord in Washington and Tehran.
Both sides say agreement is possible at a two-day meeting in Geneva — with caveats.
European Union spokeswoman Maja Kocijanic said “some issues remain to be resolved” during the discussions, a statement echoed by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham.
The meeting, scheduled to start this afternoon in Geneva, is formally being held by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and EU senior negotiator Helga Schmid, on behalf of the six world powers.
But the U.S. State Department yesterday announced that senior U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman would also attend. That indicates that Washington wants to be in place if the two sides overcome their differences and announce a deal by tomorrow.
Asked yesterday if the United States anticipated agreement, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, “There are just a few remaining issues, so we’re working toward that.”
She did not go into specifics on the nature of the disagreements, in keeping with the confidential nature of the negotiations. But two officials told The Associated Press that Iran is coming to the table with demands to exempt a facility used for research and development of uranium enrichment from overall curbs on enrichment — something opposed by the six powers that sealed the Nov. 24 deal with Tehran.
