Iran and six major powers will begin a new round of negotiations in Vienna on May 13 to hammer out a long-term accord aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran should continue talks with world powers to end a long-running nuclear dispute, but without ceding any of the gains made by its nuclear program, the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader was reported as saying on Wednesday.
“These negotiations should continue … but all should know that negotiations will not stop or slow down any of Iran’s activities in nuclear research and development”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in remarks to nuclear scientists in Tehran.
The toughest areas to be tackled are Iran’s future uranium enrichment capacity, nuclear facilities that Western powers believe have little or no civilian value, and future nuclear research work, as well as a schedule of steps to remove the international sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.
U.S. and European officials have said they will insist on limits to Iran’s efforts to develop more efficient uranium enrichment technology, which would enable Tehran to produce sensitive nuclear material at a faster pace.
The negotiators from Iran and the so-called P5-plus-one – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – plan after their talks in Vienna to start drafting the agreement to meet a self-imposed July 20 deadline for a definitive deal.
buenosairesherald.com