VIENNA — One of the biggest challenges in this week’s talks on Iran’s nuclear program will be winning over two tough audiences that won’t be at the table: hard-liners in Tehran and Washington.
After nearly a decade of deadlock, Iran seems more amenable to making concessions to the six countries seeking to ensure it doesn’t develop nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Reformist Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has indicated he could cut back on the nuclear program in exchange for an easing of economic sanctions.
But factions in Iran and the U.S. are demanding their own interests be met first — and fast.
Iranian hard-liners want significant sanctions reductions in exchange for scaling back enrichment, while some U.S. lawmakers want the enrichment to stop altogether in exchange for loosening sanctions.
In Thursday’s and Friday’s talks, negotiators will face strong pressure from both camps, even as they try to find common ground among their own positions.
The talks concern the size and output of Iran’s enrichment program, which can create both reactor fuel and weapons-grade material suitable for a nuclear bomb. Iran insists it is pursuing only nuclear energy, medical treatments and research.
Both the U.S. administration and Iran’s clerical leadership are urging critics at home to support the talks. In Tehran on Sunday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asked Iranians not to “weaken” the negotiators. And Deputy U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday: “The U.S. needs to speak with one voice when we’re sitting down at the table.”
In Washington, the White House is tamping down an effort in Congress to impose new sanctions on Iran.
A senior U.S. official, speaking to reporters Wednesday, said both sides will come to the table with an understanding of what they want from each other as a “first step” — and what they are willing to give in return.
She said the six world powers are ready to offer “limited, targeted and reversible” sanctions relief in response to agreement by Iran to start rolling back activities that could be used to make weapons.
