Iran says 'differences' among world powers at nuclear talks

Image
AFP Geneva
Last Updated : Nov 09 2013 | 10:18 PM IST
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said today there were divisions among the world powers attempting to negotiate a landmark deal with Tehran over its nuclear programme.
"We have reached an agreement on some questions, but on others there are still disagreements.... There are differences of opinion within the P5+1 group" of world powers, he was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency ISNA, amid crucial talks in Geneva.
"Progress so far has not been too bad... But it is possible that we won't manage to finish tonight," he said.
He stressed that a deal was in the drafting stage but there were still concerns being raised. He gave no details of what was in the putative accord.
"It is unlikely that the negotiations will continue tomorrow. They must finish tonight," Zarif added. Iranian officials previously said the talks could move on to another round if they didn't finish today.
Zarif's comments followed initial optimism after US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian, British, French and German counterparts all rushed to Geneva to lend weight to the negotiations aimed at ending the decade-long dispute over Iran's nuclear programme.
But on the unscheduled third day of talks today, cracks seemed to emerge among the group of world powers after French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius raised concerns and said Paris had not accepted an initial draft of the deal.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 09 2013 | 10:18 PM IST

Next Story