Kerry to
Meet Zarif Amid Signs of Internal Disagreements over Nuclear Talks in Iran
Secretary
of State John Kerry, traveling to India to attend an international conference,
stopped in Munch, Germany today to visit with the ailing Sulatn Qabus of Oman
who has been receiving medical treatment in Germany since November. The 74-year
old ruler of Oman played a key role in hosting secret bilateral talks between
the U.S. and Iran in 2013, and has been a facilitator in Iran nuclear talks
between.
Kerry
will “meet with Sultan Qabus of Oman to express his gratitude for their
long-standing and strong relationships,” said Jen Psaki, the State Department
spokeswoman.
On
Wednesday 14 January, Kerry will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif
in Geneva ahead of a new round of nuclear talks, as the parties try to break a
deadlock to reach a final accord amid signs that internal disagreements in Iran
may have stalled progress on a deal.
Last
Sunday, President Rouhani in a bold speech in Tehran, said Iran needs to engage
with the world to grow its economy and that the ideals of the Islamic Republic
were not tied to the number of its centrifuges. Three days later, Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also in a speech at a public gathering, warned Iranian government officials not to trust the United States, saying the Americans
will renege on their commitments. “This enemy cannot be trusted,” Khamanei
said.
Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry arriving in Munich on Saturday to meet Sultan Qabus of Oman (Rick Wilking/Pool/AP)
Photo credit: Secretary of State John Kerry arriving in Munich on Saturday to meet Sultan Qabus of Oman (Rick Wilking/Pool/AP)
5 comments:
Since the regime is largely legitimated by its opposition to the U.S., any normalizing of relations with US will create an identity crisis for mullahs. This is why this guy Khamenei, despite Iran's dire needs to end the sanctions and bring the nuclear issue to an end, does not want to normalize relations with the U.S.
Yes, but Rouhani is also an Islamic Republic official and a cleric, yet he wants to normalize relations with the West to bring the country out of isolation and help grow the economy. The internal disagreements are real, two different directions vis-a-vis relations with the U.S. and the West, hardline/revolutionary approach by Khamenei and moderate leaning by Rouhani.
sounds like the repeat of encounters in Khatami's era. In this case we know who is going to win eventually!
AIPAC, the Zionist lobby and now Republicans in control of Congress have not made reaching a deal really easy either. The Zionist preconditions of Iran unilaterally disarm (even give up its missile program) is tantamount to national suicide which no national suicide which no government in Iran can accept.
Interesting how much the hard right in both countries share with each other!
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