Ashton to Continue Leading Nuclear Talks
LUXEMBOUR (Dispatches) – European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will continue leading nuclear negotiations with Iran until a deal is reached, even if a November deadline is missed, she said on Monday.
Ashton's five-year term as EU foreign policy chief ends at the end of this month, and she had said she would stay on as nuclear negotiator until Nov. 24, the deadline for reaching a long-term settlement with Iran over its nuclear program.
Asked if she would continue beyond that date if necessary, she told reporters at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg: "I have been asked to carry on until it's done."
Ashton, a Briton, negotiates with the Iranian delegation on behalf of the six powers involved in the talks: the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Sunday night that the Obama administration will not to seek congressional approval to suspend sanctions against Iran if a deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program can be reached.
According to the report, citing American and Iranian officials, Iran has agreed in principle that a "suspension” of sanctions would be enough for them to take away from the negotiating table.
"But Mr. Obama cannot permanently terminate those sanctions. Only Congress can take that step. And even if Democrats held on to the Senate next month, Mr. Obama’s advisers have concluded they would probably lose such a vote,” The Times wrote.
The difference between a temporary suspension and an outright revocation can keep attorneys up at nights, but there is no immediate-term difference and the Obama administration plans to use that to its advantage.
"We wouldn’t seek congressional legislation in any comprehensive agreement for years,” one senior official told The New York Times.
A deal with Iran probably would not be a formal treaty and thus would not constitutionally require the Senate’s approval, but lawmakers of both parties say that doesn’t matter — they don’t want the administration undermining sanctions Congress has duly passed.
"Congress will not permit the president to unilaterally unravel Iran sanctions that passed the Senate in a 99-0 vote,” said Sen. Mark Kirk, Illinois Republican.
Indeed, Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has sponsored legislation that would impose further sanctions on Iran if a nuclear deal isn’t inked by the Nov. 24 deadline set by the negotiating countries.
The talks are still haggling over such issues as the scope of international inspections and details of the nuclear-related facilities Iran will continue to have.
Iran also wants broader relief from United Nations sanctions that, for example, bar it from importing dual-use equipment.
On Monday, the head of the UN atomic energy agency suggested little headway in talks with Iran to settle outstanding issues.
Nearly two months after an Aug. 25 deadline for answering questions about alleged activity that might be used to develop atomic arms, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claimed that Iran had not yet fully done so.
"In order to resolve all outstanding issues, it is very important that Iran implements, in a timely manner, all practical measures agreed under the Framework for Cooperation," Yukiya Amano said. That accord was reached with Tehran last year to help advance the talks.
Addressing a conference at IAEA headquarters on nuclear safeguards, he said the UN agency was not in a position "to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran".
The IAEA claims to be trying to get to the bottom of Western intelligence reports suggesting Iran was designing a nuclear warhead. Iran say the intelligence was fabricated by its foes but it has promised to work with the IAEA to remove any doubt.
Tehran said last month the IAEA lacked "substantiated" evidence. Diplomats say the United States and its Western allies as well as the occupying regime of Israel have provided information on Iran to the IAEA which they obtained from the terrorists Mujahedin Khalq Organization.
A Russian envoy called on the UN agency to disclose the origin of data it wants to use that is not obtained through its own inspections.
Without naming any country, Russian Ambassador Grigory Berdennikov told the safeguards conference that "some states" may wish to turn the IAEA into their intelligence branch.
Asked if she would continue beyond that date if necessary, she told reporters at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg: "I have been asked to carry on until it's done."
Ashton, a Briton, negotiates with the Iranian delegation on behalf of the six powers involved in the talks: the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Sunday night that the Obama administration will not to seek congressional approval to suspend sanctions against Iran if a deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program can be reached.
According to the report, citing American and Iranian officials, Iran has agreed in principle that a "suspension” of sanctions would be enough for them to take away from the negotiating table.
"But Mr. Obama cannot permanently terminate those sanctions. Only Congress can take that step. And even if Democrats held on to the Senate next month, Mr. Obama’s advisers have concluded they would probably lose such a vote,” The Times wrote.
The difference between a temporary suspension and an outright revocation can keep attorneys up at nights, but there is no immediate-term difference and the Obama administration plans to use that to its advantage.
"We wouldn’t seek congressional legislation in any comprehensive agreement for years,” one senior official told The New York Times.
A deal with Iran probably would not be a formal treaty and thus would not constitutionally require the Senate’s approval, but lawmakers of both parties say that doesn’t matter — they don’t want the administration undermining sanctions Congress has duly passed.
"Congress will not permit the president to unilaterally unravel Iran sanctions that passed the Senate in a 99-0 vote,” said Sen. Mark Kirk, Illinois Republican.
Indeed, Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has sponsored legislation that would impose further sanctions on Iran if a nuclear deal isn’t inked by the Nov. 24 deadline set by the negotiating countries.
The talks are still haggling over such issues as the scope of international inspections and details of the nuclear-related facilities Iran will continue to have.
Iran also wants broader relief from United Nations sanctions that, for example, bar it from importing dual-use equipment.
On Monday, the head of the UN atomic energy agency suggested little headway in talks with Iran to settle outstanding issues.
Nearly two months after an Aug. 25 deadline for answering questions about alleged activity that might be used to develop atomic arms, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claimed that Iran had not yet fully done so.
"In order to resolve all outstanding issues, it is very important that Iran implements, in a timely manner, all practical measures agreed under the Framework for Cooperation," Yukiya Amano said. That accord was reached with Tehran last year to help advance the talks.
Addressing a conference at IAEA headquarters on nuclear safeguards, he said the UN agency was not in a position "to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran".
The IAEA claims to be trying to get to the bottom of Western intelligence reports suggesting Iran was designing a nuclear warhead. Iran say the intelligence was fabricated by its foes but it has promised to work with the IAEA to remove any doubt.
Tehran said last month the IAEA lacked "substantiated" evidence. Diplomats say the United States and its Western allies as well as the occupying regime of Israel have provided information on Iran to the IAEA which they obtained from the terrorists Mujahedin Khalq Organization.
A Russian envoy called on the UN agency to disclose the origin of data it wants to use that is not obtained through its own inspections.
Without naming any country, Russian Ambassador Grigory Berdennikov told the safeguards conference that "some states" may wish to turn the IAEA into their intelligence branch.