Slow progress on Iran talks

Laura Rozen

Jan 18, 2015

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif before a meeting in Geneva January 14, 2015. Zarif said on Wednesday that his meeting with Kerry was important to see if progress could be made in narrowing differences on his country's disputed nuclear program. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (SWITZERLAND - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR4LDZW — US Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif before a meeting in Geneva, Jan. 14, 2015. Zarif said on Jan. 14 that his meeting with Kerry was important to see if progress could be made in narrowing differences on his country's disputed nuclear program.

GENEVA — Diplomats from Iran and the six world powers (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, or P5+1), did not make as much progress in accelerating nuclear deal talks here this week as they had hoped, but “We are moving in the right direction,” a senior Iranian diplomat said Jan. 18.

“[We held] serious, business-like, good discussions today,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at the conclusion of talks Jan. 18 between Iran and the P5+1. “We are still trying to bridge gaps between the two sides.”

The parties agreed to meet in early February, but said the exact dates and venue have not yet been set.

“We are moving in the right direction, but it is too early to say [if the talks will succeed],” Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Ravanchi told Al-Monitor as he was leaving the meeting Jan. 18.

Slow progress on Iran talks

In the Jan. 18 Iran nuclear talks, top officials expressed concern about making sufficient progress to meet the March 24 agreement deadline.

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