A few days of pause in the P5+1 talks with Iran wasn’t necessarily a game-changer for the diplomatic process, but Iran remains none-too-happy with the latest US sanctions against their trading partners, and is not afraid to say so.
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned Kerry over this in a phone call today, expressing “dissatisfaction” over the latest US sanctions, which both Iran and Russia have said violate the spirit of the P5+1 deal.
That the US used a technicality to impose new sanctions is also going to complicate the language of any final P5+1 deal, as Iran is no doubt going to go over the wording with a fine-tooth comb to avoid any more wiggle room for the US to renege on it.
Zarif provided some details on the red-lines for his nation in those talks, saying Iran is not willing to give up all uranium enrichment, nor to shutter the heavy-water reactor at Arak.
Iran may be about to get some major sanction easing in the coming weeks, however, as EU officials say they are ready to suspend a number of sanctions as soon as the interim P5+1 deal begin being implemented. The IAEA needs time to get more inspectors into the region for confirmation of the implementation of the deal, expected to come in early January.
