Iran says serious about long-term nuclear deal

Iran's foreign minister today said his country is prepared to move ahead in negotiations over its nuclear program, assuring Western diplomats that Tehran has the political will and good faith to reach a "balanced" long-term agreement.
Mohamad Javad Zarif told a gathering of the world's top diplomats and security officials that his country and Western nations were at a "historical crossroads" and just beginning to build the trust necessary for a long-term agreement.
"I think the opportunity is there, and I think we need to seize it," he said.
The comments came after Zarif met one-on-one with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the conference today morning.

Kerry reiterated to Zarif the importance of both sides negotiating in good faith, and of Iran abiding by its commitments, according to the State Department. Zarif described it as a "good meeting."
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency struck a deal November 11 granting UN inspectors wider access to Iran's nuclear facilities. The deal is parallel to an agreement reached with world powers November 24 in Geneva to have Iran halt its most sensitive uranium enrichment activities in return for an easing of Western sanctions over its nuclear program.

"That's an important beginning, it's not the end of the road," Zarif said of the two deals. "There are important questions and we are prepared to address them."

IAEA director general Yukiya Amano said he could report that "practical measures are being implemented as planned" by Iran, and that there would be new negotiations over the next phase on February 8.
Iran also has agreed to a new round of negotiations on February 18 in Vienna with a six-nation group of world powers, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
"What I can promise is that we will go to those negotiations with the political will and good faith to reach an agreement, because it would be foolish for us to only bargain for six months that would be (a) disaster for everybody," Zarif said.