Challenges of nuclear talks

Former Director General of the Africa Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry Javid Ghorban Oghli in an opinion piece in Arman-e Emrooz newspaper on September 22 highlighted “a change in Russia’s behavior” as far as Iran’s nuclear dossier is concerned.

In “The challenges of nuclear talks” piece, he wrote given the present conditions – Western sanctions against Russia in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis – Moscow is not willing to let its ties and economic cooperation with Tehran undergo any change. What comes below is the translation of part of his opinion piece:

It should not be forgotten that nuclear talks are facing some challenges, one of which is the position of either side on the amount of uranium enrichment and the number of centrifuges.

Unfortunately, such matters are pitched across the country as an indication of [Western] greed and acquisitiveness. Everyone knows that Iran is determined to carry on with the talks until they produce results.

Such determination on the part of the Iranian side can be noticed by the Western negotiators more than anyone else. Now, Western nations know well that despite the pressures exerted on the Iranian negotiating team at home, Iran has stepped in the direction of a deal which could transform the political future of the region and the international community at large. Iran is in quest of a good agreement or in other words a solution.

Another challenge in the way of the talks is the Russian behavior. As things are, Russia is not willing to see its trade relations with Iran change. If Moscow’s behavior undergoes any change, it seems necessary that Iran’s negotiators mention it.

The final challenge has nothing to do with the technical aspect of the talks. Rather, it’s the pressure that Iran’s negotiating team is under at home. For the time being, Iranian negotiators are dealing with such challenges in New York and everyone hopes that both sides will overcome them.