BICOM

US Secretary of State John Kerry continued talks yesterday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif as the two sides looked to make further progress on a nuclear agreement.

US and Iranian officials have been holding discussions in order to meet an end of March deadline for the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) and Iran to agree an outline to a deal over Iran’s nuclear capability. The agreement being discussed is thought to be a ten-year accord, during which time Iranian nuclear development would be restricted. However, there appears to be little provision to regulate Tehran’s atomic programme thereafter.

Kerry and Zarif met yesterday and Monday in Montreux, Switzerland. Although neither side revealed the substance of their talks, Kerry commented “We’re working away, productively,” while Zarif said “We are moving and we are talking to be able to make progress.” However, according to Reuters, Zarif told an Iranian news agency late yesterday that American demands were unacceptable. He is quoted saying, “Obama’s stance … is expressed in unacceptable and threatening phrases … Iran will not accept excessive and illogical demands,” but that, “Tehran will continue nuclear negotiations with the six powers.”

Meanwhile, Kerry is travelling today to Saudi Arabia, where he will meet the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whose members include United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. According to Voice of America, Kerry will look to reassure GCC members that an agreement with Iran will not lead to regional instability. The Gulf states have expressed their concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. An anonymous State Department official is quoted saying “obviously, the Gulf states are watching the negotiations very carefully,” but that a potential deal is “not going to change any of the other aspects of our approach to Iran in regard to the other things that are of concern to the Gulf.”