WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Major powers are divided over what to put on the table should Iran resume talks on curbing its nuclear programme and whether to allow it to continue enriching uranium to some degree, diplomats said yesterday.
Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States on Friday signalled their openness to fresh talks about Iran’s nuclear programme, which the West suspects is a cover to develop an atomic bomb but Iran says is to generate electricity.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the group, issued a statement making clear that a diplomatic path remains open to Iran despite tougher sanctions and fresh speculation of a military strike on its nuclear facilities.
“The EU3+3 has always been clear about the validity of the dual track approach,” Ashton’s spokesperson said in a statement that also formally released her Oct. 21 letter offering to resume talks with Iran. “We are waiting for the Iranian reaction.”
The dual track refers to the combination of sanctions and diplomacy to try to curtail Iran’s nuclear programmes.
The release of the statement and the letter itself appeared be an effort to demonstrate that the major powers are willing to talk to Iran, while reiterating their demands that Tehran must return to the table willing to talk about its nuclear programme.
