BICOM

Speaking ahead of talks between international and Iranian representatives in Kazakhstan today, Foreign Secretary William Hague warned of the dangers of Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Hague spoke in London alongside incoming US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is making his first foreign trip in office. Their meeting yesterday came on the eve of the first negotiations since June between Iranian officials and representatives of the P5+1 powers – United States, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany – who are tasked with leading the international effort to resolve concerns over Iran’s nuclear development through a diplomatic solution.

Addressing the talks which will take place in Kazakhstan, Hague said, “Iran’s nuclear programme poses a threat to peace and security of the whole world… Iran should not doubt our resolve to ensure that nuclear proliferation in the Middle East is prevented.”

Kerry urged Iran to negotiate in good faith and warned, “The window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot by definition remain open forever. But it is open today. It is open now.”

There appears to be little optimism over the chances of achieving a breakthrough during this week’s talks, especially after the latest quarterly report on Iran’s nuclear programme was released last week by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It revealed that during the last three months, Iran has installed new advanced centrifuges at a key nuclear plant and is continuing to increase its supply of 20 per cent enriched uranium.

The spokesman for Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief responsible for P5+1 contacts with Iran, said that Tehran will be presented with a “good” offer at talks this week, but warned there is an “urgent need to make concrete and tangible progress.”