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Iran, world powers struggle to settle differences as talks resume

Iran and the six powers (Britain, China, France, Russia, United States, Germany) are to finalise a historic deal that can end 12 years of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi
© EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

TEHRAN, April 22. /TASS/. Differing interpretations of a framework agreement on Iran's nuclear programme will be high on the agenda at talks between Iran and six world powers in Vienna this week, said Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

"We will try to resolve the issues where different interpretations have emerged over what was agreed in Lausanne on April 2," Araqchi, who arrived in the Austrian capital on Wednesday, told Iranian state television.

"We will also start elaborating and formalising decisions on details of the future comprehensive deal," he said before leaving Tehran. "Lifting sanctions will be one of the main topics in this round of talks."

Following a negotiating marathon in Switzerland, Iran and the six powers - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany - on Wednesday began the difficult process of finalising a historic deal that could end 12 years of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme.

The tentative deal reached in Switzerland has cleared the way for talks on a final settlement by a June 30 deadline, but different interpretations have emerged over what was covered by the framework. Among the splits in the Iranian and Western interpretations of the deal are timing of sanctions relief and the removal of U.N. sanctions, as well as monitoring.

"At the talks in Vienna, we will seek an explanation from the United States of all aspects and details of lifting sanctions," Araqchi said on state television on Wednesday, adding that Iran would also ask the U.S. delegation to explain why the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had approved a compromise bill giving the U.S. Congress a voice on a final Iran nuclear deal.

The bill requiring the U.S. administration to send the text of a final accord to Congress as soon as it is completed halts any lifting of sanctions pending a 30-day congressional review, and culminates in a possible vote to allow or forbid the lifting of U.S. sanctions in exchange for the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Iran says sanctions must be lifted immediately after a deal is reached. The US administration was "responsible to ensure that its commitments, particularly sanctions-related ones, are fulfilled", Araqchi said on Wednesday.

The Vienna talks on April 22-24, which start the process of drafting the deal, brought together senior foreign ministry officials representing the P5+1 group, Iran's Araqchi and legal and technical experts from all six powers and Tehran.