GENEVA—Iranian negotiators set out tough positions heading into talks with world powers starting here on Tuesday that are aimed at containing Tehran's nuclear program, but both sides were optimistic that progress could be made.
Iranian officials stressed they wouldn't agree to ship out their country stockpile of near-weapons grade nuclear fuel as part of a deal. Shipping out or safeguarding the materials is a key demand of the Obama administration and its European allies.
"The shipping of materials out of the country is our 'red line,' " Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Iran's state media. He added that Iran is prepared to negotiate over "the form, amount, and various levels of enrichment" within Iran's nuclear program.
Despite the stance, U.S. officials said on Monday the Geneva talks, the first to take place under Iranian President Hasan Rouhani, could overcome the decadelong international standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
The U.S. delegation, headed by Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, included State and Treasury department experts on the expansive economic sanctions exacted on Iran over the past decade. Among them is Adam Szubin, who heads the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, among the most important U.S. bureaus overseeing the sanctions campaign.
"Right now, the window for diplomacy is cracking open. But I want you to know that our eyes are open, too," Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday in a televised message to the leadership of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the U.S.'s most powerful pro-Israel lobby. "While we seek a peaceful resolution to Iran's nuclear program, words must be matched with actions."
Mr. Kerry wasn't scheduled to attend the talks in Geneva because the meeting is intended to be of a technical nature.
Iranian officials have said they would present a "road map" for achieving an agreement on Iran's nuclear program. This would both address the West's fears that Tehran is seeking atomic weapons while allowing Iran to maintain a civilian-nuclear capacity, Iranian officials said.
Tehran is negotiating in Geneva with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany, a diplomatic bloc known as the P5+1.
"I hope that we can agree on a road map for arriving at an agreement by Wednesday," Iran's foreign minister and chief negotiator, Javad Zarif, wrote on his Facebook page late Sunday. Mr. Zarif is in Geneva for the talks. "But even if the other side shows goodwill, agreeing on details and implementation would require another cabinet-level meeting."
Western diplomats briefed on the Iranian road map said it is expected to include an offer to freeze Tehran's production of near-weapons grade fuel, which is uranium enriched to 20% purity.
Mr. Zarif and other Iranians officials have also said Iran is prepared to allow more intrusive inspections of its nuclear installations by the U.N.'s watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran is also expected to offer to limit the number of centrifuges operating at its uranium-enrichment facilities in the cities of Natanz and Qom.
Mr. Araghchi's Sunday statement, however, appeared to rule out one of the West's primary aims in the negotiations: removing or safeguarding the country's stockpile of 20% enriched uranium. U.S. officials believe such steps would prevent Tehran from suddenly producing weapons-grade fuel.
Members of the P5+1 held discussions on Monday to prepare for the formal launch of the talks, which are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Mr. Zarif held a dinner meeting Monday with Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign-policy chief, who leads the P5+1 negotiating team.
Even though Mr. Kerry wasn't expected at the Geneva talks, U.S. officials said they hoped for additional bilateral discussions with the Iranian delegation during the week.
Last month, President Barack Obama had a 15-minute phone conversation with Mr. Rouhani, the first conversation between American and Iranian presidents in more than 30 years.
"We hope they have come to the table with a credible proposal," said a senior U.S. official taking part in the Geneva talks. "We hope we can begin translating the positive tone in New York to more specific actions."
The Obama administration's ability to negotiate in Geneva is expected to be constrained by Congress and the U.S.'s Middle East allies, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia, who have voiced skepticism toward Washington's outreach to their rival Tehran.
Leading members of Congress on Monday released a letter addressed to Mr. Obama that said Iran must completely freeze its production of nuclear fuel in return for the U.S. holding off on the implementation of new sanctions on Iran. Mr. Zarif has ruled out taking such a step.
The congressional letter, signed by 10 Democratic and Republican senators, said the U.S. should increase the financial pressure on Tehran until a deal is reached.
"At this time, we affirm that a credible military threat remains on the table and we underscore the imperative that the current sanctions be maintained aggressively," said the letter, which was released by the office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Israel, Saudi Arabia, and members of Congress are increasing pressuring the Obama administration to demand a complete dismantling of Iran's centrifuge machines and not allow Iran to maintain the ability to produce nuclear fuel on its soil as part of a final deal.
Mr. Obama and other U.S. officials have refused to directly address this question in recent weeks, repeating that the U.S. believes Iran has the right to "access" peaceful nuclear energy. "What that is, is a matter of discussion," said the senior U.S. official in Geneva.
Write to Jay Solomon at [email protected]
Iranian officials stressed they wouldn't agree to ship out their country stockpile of near-weapons grade nuclear fuel as part of a deal. Shipping out or safeguarding the materials is a key demand of the Obama administration and its European allies.
"The shipping of materials out of the country is our 'red line,' " Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Iran's state media. He added that Iran is prepared to negotiate over "the form, amount, and various levels of enrichment" within Iran's nuclear program.
Despite the stance, U.S. officials said on Monday the Geneva talks, the first to take place under Iranian President Hasan Rouhani, could overcome the decadelong international standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
The U.S. delegation, headed by Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, included State and Treasury department experts on the expansive economic sanctions exacted on Iran over the past decade. Among them is Adam Szubin, who heads the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, among the most important U.S. bureaus overseeing the sanctions campaign.
"Right now, the window for diplomacy is cracking open. But I want you to know that our eyes are open, too," Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday in a televised message to the leadership of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the U.S.'s most powerful pro-Israel lobby. "While we seek a peaceful resolution to Iran's nuclear program, words must be matched with actions."
Mr. Kerry wasn't scheduled to attend the talks in Geneva because the meeting is intended to be of a technical nature.
Iranian officials have said they would present a "road map" for achieving an agreement on Iran's nuclear program. This would both address the West's fears that Tehran is seeking atomic weapons while allowing Iran to maintain a civilian-nuclear capacity, Iranian officials said.
Tehran is negotiating in Geneva with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany, a diplomatic bloc known as the P5+1.
"I hope that we can agree on a road map for arriving at an agreement by Wednesday," Iran's foreign minister and chief negotiator, Javad Zarif, wrote on his Facebook page late Sunday. Mr. Zarif is in Geneva for the talks. "But even if the other side shows goodwill, agreeing on details and implementation would require another cabinet-level meeting."
Western diplomats briefed on the Iranian road map said it is expected to include an offer to freeze Tehran's production of near-weapons grade fuel, which is uranium enriched to 20% purity.
Mr. Zarif and other Iranians officials have also said Iran is prepared to allow more intrusive inspections of its nuclear installations by the U.N.'s watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran is also expected to offer to limit the number of centrifuges operating at its uranium-enrichment facilities in the cities of Natanz and Qom.
Mr. Araghchi's Sunday statement, however, appeared to rule out one of the West's primary aims in the negotiations: removing or safeguarding the country's stockpile of 20% enriched uranium. U.S. officials believe such steps would prevent Tehran from suddenly producing weapons-grade fuel.
Members of the P5+1 held discussions on Monday to prepare for the formal launch of the talks, which are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Mr. Zarif held a dinner meeting Monday with Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign-policy chief, who leads the P5+1 negotiating team.
Even though Mr. Kerry wasn't expected at the Geneva talks, U.S. officials said they hoped for additional bilateral discussions with the Iranian delegation during the week.
Last month, President Barack Obama had a 15-minute phone conversation with Mr. Rouhani, the first conversation between American and Iranian presidents in more than 30 years.
"We hope they have come to the table with a credible proposal," said a senior U.S. official taking part in the Geneva talks. "We hope we can begin translating the positive tone in New York to more specific actions."
The Obama administration's ability to negotiate in Geneva is expected to be constrained by Congress and the U.S.'s Middle East allies, particularly Israel and Saudi Arabia, who have voiced skepticism toward Washington's outreach to their rival Tehran.
Leading members of Congress on Monday released a letter addressed to Mr. Obama that said Iran must completely freeze its production of nuclear fuel in return for the U.S. holding off on the implementation of new sanctions on Iran. Mr. Zarif has ruled out taking such a step.
The congressional letter, signed by 10 Democratic and Republican senators, said the U.S. should increase the financial pressure on Tehran until a deal is reached.
"At this time, we affirm that a credible military threat remains on the table and we underscore the imperative that the current sanctions be maintained aggressively," said the letter, which was released by the office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Israel, Saudi Arabia, and members of Congress are increasing pressuring the Obama administration to demand a complete dismantling of Iran's centrifuge machines and not allow Iran to maintain the ability to produce nuclear fuel on its soil as part of a final deal.
Mr. Obama and other U.S. officials have refused to directly address this question in recent weeks, repeating that the U.S. believes Iran has the right to "access" peaceful nuclear energy. "What that is, is a matter of discussion," said the senior U.S. official in Geneva.
Write to Jay Solomon at [email protected]