Divisions in Iran stall nuclear deal, says ex-US negotiator
Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Iran Foreign Minister Zarif in Geneva Jan. 14, ahead of a new round of nuclear talks.
US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Geneva Jan. 14, ahead of a new round of US-Iran talks next week, as the parties try to break a deadlock to reach a final nuclear accord that has so far eluded them after more than a year of negotiations.
But a former US nuclear negotiator warns that continued internal disagreements in Iran seem to be stalling progress on a deal.
“In my view, the talks have become hostage to internal divisions in Tehran,” Robert Einhorn, former top arms control adviser on the US Iran nuclear negotiating team, told Al-Monitor in an interview Jan. 9.
“Progress in the negotiations will require a decision in Tehran to make adjustments in Iran’s negotiating position,” Einhorn, now with the Brookings Institution, said. “It means the supreme leader has got to … authorize [his negotiating team] to make the adjustments that are necessary to conclude a deal. And he has not done that yet.”
