'Zionists' want to sabotage negotiations, Iran's deputy FM says

Araqchi accuses "entity that is occupying J'lem" of spreading lies about talks; expects nuclear deal within year.

By YASSER OKBI, REUTERS
geneva iran talks oct 15 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
geneva iran talks oct 15 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Israel is attempting to sabotage the negotiations between Iran and the Western powers over Tehran’s nuclear program by spreading disinformation about their contents, the Islamic Republic’s deputy foreign minister charged on Monday.
In an interview with state-owned Arab-language news channel Al Alam, Abbas Araqchi repeated his government’s position that his country’s right to enrich uranium on its own soil is not negotiable. Araqchi reiterated that Iran would not stop refining uranium, saying domestic enrichment was a right of the Iranian people - but that the extent of enrichment was negotiable.
“The entity that is occupying Jerusalem has spared no efforts in attempting to derail and place obstacles before the negotiations,” the deputy foreign minister told Al Alam. “What has been reported [about the talks] is not accurate, and it falls under the realm of speculation. The source of this innuendo is the Zionists, who are among those who oppose a solution, and they are not interested in seeing these negotiations come to a positive outcome.”
“The secrecy of these negotiations between Tehran and the six powers demonstrates the seriousness of both sides,” Araqchi said.
The deputy foreign minister called on the United States, one of the six powers engaged in the negotiations, to refrain from handing over information about the talks to Israel.Iran believes it can wrap up negotiations with world powers over its disputed nuclear program in one year or less, he said.
At talks last week, the first since moderate President Hassan Rouhani's election in June, Tehran offered a three-phase plan it said could yield a breakthrough in the stand-off after years of diplomatic paralysis and increasing confrontation.
"If we see the same seriousness in future negotiations which we saw in the (Oct. 15-16) Geneva negotiations, we believe that within six months to one year we can conclude the negotiations," Araqchi said.
"Perhaps within three months or six months we can reach a conclusion regarding the first step," he said, in remarks that were published on Monday by ISNA news agency.
The United States and its European allies suspect Iran is working towards a nuclear weapons capability, and have levied sanctions on Iran's energy, banking and shipping sectors that have battered the Iranian economy and caused a currency crisis.
Iran denies it is after nuclear weapons, saying its uranium enrichment program is purely for peaceful energy purposes.
The six world powers dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue are the five permanent UN Security Council members - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - plus Germany.
Washington described last week's negotiations as the most serious and candid to date, and the parties have agreed to meet again in Geneva on Nov. 7-8. Nuclear and sanctions experts from both sides are to meet before the next main round of talks.
But all sides have stressed that wide differences must still be overcome to nail down a deal.
"Certainly there are serious differences between us and the other side," Araqchi said, according to ISNA. "We even have deep disagreements with each other. Despite this, we are hopeful we can achieve a common resolution to this dispute."
Iran has so far defied UN Security Council demands that it suspend enrichment and other sensitive nuclear activities.
Western officials have said Iran should increase the transparency of its nuclear program, stop enriching uranium to 20 percent fissile purity - a short technical step away from weapons-ready fuel, reduce its uranium stockpiles and take other steps to assure the world it does not want atomic weapons.
Iran says 20 percent enrichment is meant to provide fuel to run its Tehran medical research reactor, although Western diplomats and analysts say Iran has produced well over the amount it would realistically need for such a purpose.
"This right (enrichment) itself is not up for negotiation," Araqchi said. "Enrichment is part of the end goal ... but its dimensions and amount are negotiable."
Rouhani has sought to end Iran's isolation, partly in order to win an end to sanctions. Araqchi praised the United States for bringing one of the Obama administration's leading sanctions experts to the Geneva talks.
"The presence of this individual during the negotiations and the explanations they gave showed that the Americans at least are ready to show they are serious," Araqchi said.