BICOM

Representatives of the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) and Iranian officials will wrap up the latest round of talks today on brokering a long-term nuclear deal. Although the two sides have begun to draft text to an agreement, wide gaps reportedly remain.

Talks last month ended without any tangible progress. Both sides are committed to a self-imposed 20 July deadline to strike a long-term deal over Tehran’s nuclear development, having concluded a six-month agreement in Geneva in November.

This week’s talks in Vienna were described by Michael Mann, the spokesman for P5+1 delegation head Catherine Ashton as “getting quite intense.” The Wall St Journal quotes an unnamed P5+1 official who said that all sides are working “with serious purpose” but that, “there are still a lot of differences between the two sides, and they are important differences of substance.”

The major disagreement is thought to focus on the number of centrifuges which Iran would be permitted under a deal. According to comments made by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last week, the P5+1 wants Iran to have just hundreds, while Tehran is insisting on thousands of centrifuges. However, the Wall St Journal reports that progress has been made on differences regarding the future of the Arak heavy water plant, which could produce plutonium.

Apparently, the two sides will meet again during the first week of July, although the 20 July deadline appears in jeopardy, with an extension to talks being mooted. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is quoted by Reuters saying, “All parties should focus on bringing this to a conclusion by that date [20 July].”

Reuters also says that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to release a monthly update today on Iran’s compliance with November’s six-month agreement reached in Geneva. According to unnamed diplomats, the report is expected to indicate that Tehran is honouring the terms of the agreement, including a reduction in enriched uranium capacity.