“We are at the most difficult part of the negotiation,” said Hossein Moussavian, top nuclear negotiator and member of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, after the closed-door talks in Brussels.
“(There) is a 50-50 percent chance of success,” he told reporters. “We have had some steps forwards, but we have a lot to go.”
The official-level talks were aimed at preparing for top-level negotiations in Geneva on Wednesday between Iran and the so-called EU-3 of Britain, France and Germany, representing the European Union.
The EU-3, representing the full 25-member EU, called the talks after a series of recent threats from Tehran to resume key nuclear activities, in breach of an accord to suspend them last November.
In contrast to the United States which suspects Tehran of wanting to build nuclear bombs, the EU-3 are seeking to engage the Islamic state, using a carrot of possible trade and other benefits to persuade it to curb its nuclear plans.
But at the same time they have warned Tehran starkly that it could be referred to the UN Security Council — and into Washington’s diplomatic line of fire — if the talks with the Europeans break down.
“Iran should be in no doubt that any such change to the suspension would be a clear breach of the Paris agreement” of last November, the EU-3 said in a letter to Iran’s top negotiator Hassan Rowhani, calling for the talks.
“It would bring the negotiating process to an end. The consequences beyond could only be negative for Iran,” added the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
