Framework Is Set for Iran Nuclear Talks

By
JAY SOLOMON and
LAURENCE NORMAN
Feb. 19, 2014 7:08 p.m. ET

The Obama Administration is struggling to keep negotiations with Iran under control. Diplomats from both countries have, so far, failed to agree on a plan toward disarmament. Jerry Seib explains the diplomatic and political decisions that lie ahead for the government officials in negotiations.

VIENNA—Iran and world powers have agreed to a framework and timetable for negotiations aimed at permanently ending the military threat posed by Tehran's nuclear program, according to Iranian and Western officials.
Iran and the international diplomatic bloc—comprised of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, or P5+1—will meet again in Vienna on March 17 to 20, according to a Western diplomat, and are preparing to have monthly meetings to try and forge a final, comprehensive deal, said these officials.

Neither Iranian nor Western officials would map out exactly the terms of the negotiating agreement. They said more details would be announced Friday morning in Vienna during a joint press conference between Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and the coordinator for the P5+1, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

U.S. and Iranian officials had set a low bar for this week's first round of talks, saying they would discuss mainly the format of the forthcoming talks and try and agree on the issues that would need to be negotiated as part of the deal.

In November, Iran and the six powers reached an interim first step nuclear deal that is supposed to last six months from its Jan. 20 start date. Under the terms of the initial deal Iran has scaled back some of its most advanced nuclear activities in exchange for a modest easing of sanctions.

A final deal is supposed to deal with all remaining concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

Entering the Vienna round, Iran and the Obama administration expressed divisions in describing what they viewed as the terms of a final agreement.

The U.S. is seeking a major rolling back of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including the dismantling or mothballing of thousands of Tehran's centrifuge machines, which are used to produce nuclear fuel. Washington also wants Iran to shut a heavy water reactor capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium and an underground uranium enrichment facility nearly the holy city of Qom.

Senior Iranian officials, including President Hasan Rouhani, have said in recent weeks that Iran won't accept any major scaling back of its nuclear program.

Neither Iranian or Western officials said late Wednesday how the framework agreement bridged these major differences.

In recent days, the U.S. and Iran were also divided on whether Iran's ballistic missile program should be on the agenda. Iranian officials said its missile capabilities are a red line and nonnegotiable.

Write to Jay Solomon at jay.solomon@wsj.com and Laurence Norman atlaurence.norman@wsj.com

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