European negotiators warn “end of the road” is near as Iran nuclear talks pause

Senior European diplomats briefed reporters on Friday that they have been disillusioned by Iran’s choice to request a pause within the nuclear talks in Vienna amid what they described as “technical progress.”

Why it issues: The U.S. and the deal’s European signatories — France, Germany and the U.Ok — have harassed a number of occasions within the practically three weeks since talks resumed that Iran is dragging its toes and taking maximalist positions. They insist the time for negotiations is working out.

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• “There was some technical progress prior to now 24 hours, however that simply brings us slightly nearer to the place we have been in June,” a European diplomat stated on Friday.

• “In only a few weeks, not months, the non-proliferation benefits achieved by the 2015 nuclear deal will likely be irrelevant. We’re quickly approaching the tip of the street for these negotiations.”

Flashback: Talks broke off in June after the election of Iran’s hardline president, Embrahim Raisi. The U.S. and its European allies say Raisi’s negotiators have backed off the agreements reached underneath the earlier Iranian authorities.

• The Iranians, in the meantime, contend that they are displaying flexibility and claimed “vital progress” was made this week.

Between the strains: In keeping with the European diplomats, that progress associated to the format of negotiations — how talks would proceed each with regard to Iranian nuclear rollback and U.S. sanctions aid — somewhat than the substance. These course of points had beforehand been holding up the talks.

Driving the information: On Thursday evening, Iran’s chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri, notified the opposite delegations that his workforce can be returning to Tehran the subsequent day for consultations.

• The European diplomats say they have been shocked by the choice and had been planning to proceed the talks.

• Iranian sources informed Iranian media that the request to interrupt off for consultations got here from the European aspect.

What they’re saying: The diplomats stated Iran’s nuclear program is now extra superior than ever earlier than and harassed that Tehran should chorus from additional escalation.

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• In the meantime, Bagheri informed the Iranian press that the brand new bases for the talks each on sanctions aid and nuclear measures “are completely different from those finalized” in June by the earlier authorities.

What’s subsequent: There is no date but for the subsequent spherical of talks, although negotiations may resume after Christmas.

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