(Vienna) – Diplomatic efforts by Iran and world powers towards a potentially historic nuclear deal entered uncharted territory with a new round of talks in Vienna. After three meetings that Washington says have enabled both sides to “understand each other’s positions”, the negotiators aim this time to start drafting the actual text of an accord.
Success could resolve one of the most intractable geopolitical problems of the 21st century, but failure might plunge the Middle East into conflict and start a regional nuclear arms race.
“We are now hoping to enter a new phase in the negotiations in which we will start pulling together what the outline of an agreement could be,” said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, the powers’ chief negotiator.
“All sides are highly committed and ready for intensive discussions,” he told reporters, saying the discussions, expected to last until Friday, would be “of course very difficult and complicated”.
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany want Iran to take steps to assure the international community that it is not about to build a nuclear bomb. In return the Islamic republic, which says its nuclear activities are purely peaceful, wants the lifting of all UN and Western sanctions, which have hit its economy hard.
