Major powers want the Iranians to outline steps to show that they have abandoned any pursuit of nuclear arms, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said yesterday ahead of weekend talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.
“We are receiving signals that they are bringing ideas to the table,” Mrs Clinton said ahead of tomorrow’s talks in Istanbul between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. “We want them to demonstrate, clearly, in the actions they propose that they have truly abandoned any nuclear weapons ambition.”
The P5+1 group – Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany – will meet Iran for the first time in more than a year, hoping Tehran will give enough ground on its nuclear programme to extend negotiations and avert the possibility of an Israeli or US military strike on Iran.
Israel has hinted at military action against Iran, arguing that time is running out to stop it developing atomic arms. Iran says it could retaliate by closing a major oil shipping thoroughfare, aware that this would push up crude prices and hit the world economy. The West hopes tough sanctions on Iran’s oil exports will persuade Tehran to take meaningful steps. – (Reuters)