BICOM

Iran’s parliament is expected to support a bill which could complicate the potential deal currently under discussion on Iran’s nuclear development, with negotiations at a crucial juncture.

Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) agreed a framework to a comprehensive nuclear deal in April, paving the way for negotiations to begin towards a long-term accord, which must be agreed by the end of this month. However, both sides have since indicated differences over fundamental issues such as Iran’s use of advanced centrifuges, the pace of sanctions relief and provision for international inspections.

Those differences could be accentuated with Iran’s parliament set to back legislation in a vote on Sunday, intended to tie the hands of the country’s negotiators. The bill, which is sponsored by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, was signed by 225 of the country’s 290 MPs. According to AFP, Boroujerdi claimed that “This bill is being introduced with the aim of supporting the negotiators” against the “excessive demands from the United States.”

The bill contains three criteria which any deal must include. The first is “complete and unified lifting on the day of agreement of all sanctions imposed through the UN Security Council, the US Congress and the European Union.” P5+1 negotiators have emphasised that sanctions relief will be intrinsically linked to verification of Iran’s obligations. Although the legislation caters for what it describes as “conventional supervision” of Iran’s nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency, it specifies that “access to all documents, scientists and military/security sites… is forbidden under any pretext.” Finally, the bill demands “No limit will be accepted on Iran acquiring peaceful nuclear knowledge and technology and the materials required for research and development.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said earlier this week that the nuclear negotiations might extend beyond the 30 June deadline, commenting “If we need a few extra days it’s not important because there are no sacred dates.”