Iran: 1 hour on the phone between Ashon and Jalili (update)

(B2) The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs spent this evening "an hour on the phone with Dr. Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator", said the spokesperson for Catherine Ashton. This conversation follows a meeting of the main leaders of the E3+3 group (Germany, France, United Kingdom for the EU, China, United States, Russia for the 3 others) in order to prepare for the next meeting in Moscow (Monday and next Tuesday, June 18 and 19) on the Iranian nuclear issue. According to the spokesman for C. Ashton, the two interlocutors agreed on the one hand " of the need for Iran to commit to the proposals of the E3+3 group – which (remain) concerned about the exclusively peaceful nature of the nuclear program” but also of willingness (of 6) of answer the questions raised by the Iranians in Baghdad”.

According to a European diplomat, this exchange ensures that the meeting in Moscow does not “ will not be a simple technical meeting, but a real political discussion ". Iran maintains that its program has only peaceful objectives and thus demands recognition of its right to acquire nuclear energy for civilian purposes. He also wants certain regional issues such as Bahrain and Syria to be addressed. The EU would have proposed to Iran to reduce the enrichment from 20% to 5% in exchange for an alleviation of the sanctions which strike the country, particularly on the aircraft parts.

(update: Tuesday 12, with details on the content of the discussions)