(Tehran) – Iran has quit nuclear talks with the major powers, accusing Washington of going against the spirit of a landmark agreement reached last month. US Secretary of State John Kerry and a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the major powers in the talks, both played down the suspension and said talks were expected to resume soon.
But Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said the US move went against the spirit of the deal struck in Geneva under which the powers undertook to impose no further sanctions for six months and Tehran was weighing the “appropriate response”.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to freeze parts of its suspect nuclear programme for six months in return for some $7 billion in relief from Western sanctions as it negotiates a final, comprehensive accord to allay suspicions it seeks a weapons capability. Iranian negotiators quit the implementation talks after Washington blacklisted a dozen companies and individuals for evading US sanctions.
