Iran, G5+1 Wrap up Opening Session of Sixth Round of Talks in Vienna

Vienna – The opening session of sixth round of talks between Iran and Group 5+1 wrapped up here on Thursday morning.

In the meantime and after the opening session, Iran’s deputy Foreign ministers Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e Ravanchi started bilateral meeting with the US Under Secretary of State William Burns.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zavad leads Iran’s negotiating team in the talks while the six powers (five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) are represented by the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

The Vienna 6 talks could potentially last until July 20 when an interim deal from November expires, although it could be extended for another six months.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival to Vienna on Wednesday morning, Zarif had said reaching a comprehensive final agreement will be possible ˈif the other side is politically determined to do so.ˈ

He warned that ˈexcessive demands by the Group 5+1 would block progress of the talks.ˈ

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not need anything beyond its rights and is ready to allay the concerns of the international community, but we believe that imposition is no way to hold talks,” Zarif stressed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Zarif had a bilateral meeting with Ashton which was focused on the agenda of the Vienna 6 talks. He later attended a tripartite meeting with Ashton and the US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns.

In addition to his meetings with Ashton and Burns, the Iranian foreign minister had also conferred latest developments regarding the nuclear talks with visiting heads of Chinese and Russian negotiating teams on Wednesday afternoon.

Director general of the Department of Arms Control of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Qun leads the country’s delegation to Vienna while Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabov is the head of the  Russian delegation.

Iran will try to reach a solution in talks with G5+1, says Zarif

Meanwhile in Tehran Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday before beginning of the sixth round of nuclear talks with the six powers that  Iran will do its best to reach a rational lasting solution in talks with G5+1.

Rejecting Western media predictions on the outcome of the Vienna 6 talks, he said the negotiations are very complicated.

On Wednesday the Iranian foreign minister sent an English video message with Persian subtitles.

The message was translated into other languages.

He said, ˈIn the next three weeks, we have a unique opportunity to make history.ˈ

Referring to various crises around the world including the ˈhorribleˈ events in Iraq, the foreign minister called the nuclear dispute between Tehran and certain world powers ˈan unnecessary crisis that has distracted us from addressing together our common challenges.ˈ

The Iranian foreign minister said that the nuclear crisis could have been resolved in 2005, ˈbut then people didn’t believe me when I said that Iranians are allergic to pressure.

ˈThe George Bush administration torpedoed the deal by demanding that we abandon enrichment all together. They then opted for pressures and sanctions for eight years.ˈ

Referring to the anti-Iran sanctions as ˈcrippling even deadly,ˈ the foreign minister said ˈsanctions did not cripple our nuclear program. Neigher did the murders of our nuclear scientists, the sabotage of our nuclear facilities with potentially disastrous environmental ramifications or the military threats.ˈ

ˈAs we approach July 20th, I feel compelled to warn again that pursuing a game of chicken in an attempt to extract last minute concessions cannot achieve anything better than it achieved in 2005.

Zarif stressed that Iran is trying ˈto reach a doable and lasting deal.ˈ

mutual respect,ˈ Zarif said, ˈMy government remains committed to end this unnecessary crisis by July 20th and I hope my counterparts too.ˈ

IRNA

R.S