US pushing Iran to agree 20-year moratorium on nuclear activity

{"text":[[{"start":0,"text":"The US is pushing Iran to agree to a 20-year moratorium on its nuclear activity, including uranium enrichment, as one of its conditions to reach a comprehensive deal to end their war."}],[{"start":23.243,"text":"Tehran responded with a proposal for a five-year suspension at the US-Iran talks held in Islamabad over the weekend, said two people briefed on the matter."}],[{"start":33.2,"text":"The negotiations ended with US vice-president JD Vance, who led the American delegation, blaming the Islamic republic for what he said was its unwillingness to commit to never developing a nuclear weapon."}],[{"start":46.211,"text":"The difference in the positions underlines the huge gaps between the warring parties and the hurdles that must be overcome if the US and Iran are to reach a deal to end their more than five-week war."}],[{"start":57.68,"text":"Securing an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme is one of the key points of contention, as well as convincing Tehran to allow the free flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has in effect closed."}],[{"start":71.366,"text":"After the talks, US President Donald Trump instructed the US navy to mount a blockade to the strait to prevent ships moving in and out of Iranian ports to intensify the pressure on Tehran."}],[{"start":83.892,"text":"The deadlock has raised concerns about the durability of the 14-day ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last week."}],[{"start":92.66,"text":"A Pakistani diplomat said the country’s military chief, Asim Munir, who mediated the weekend talks, was “actively working” to find a “middle ground” to bridge the two proposals."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":103.628,"text":"The FT reported that the US and Iran were continuing to exchange messages through mediators. Those intermediaries are seeking to convince the parties to hold lower-level “technical talks” to resolve disagreements, including over the reopening of the strait and Iran’s nuclear programme."}],[{"start":120.748,"text":"Both sides had gone into the talks with maximalist positions, diplomats said."}],[{"start":125.979,"text":"Asked about further talks, Vance said on Monday that the “ball was really in their court”."}],[{"start":131.558,"text":"He reiterated that Washington wanted Tehran to transfer its stockpile of enriched uranium out of the republic."}],[{"start":138.249,"text":"Iran’s two main enrichment facilities, Natanz and Fordow, and a third site in Isfahan, were severely damaged after the US bombed the plants during Israel’s 12-day war last June."}],[{"start":150.695,"text":"Iran, which has long denied seeking nuclear weapons, has not enriched uranium since. But western nations are concerned about the fate of its stockpile of 440kg of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels, which is believed to be buried at the bombed facilities."}],[{"start":169.885,"text":"The US’s demand for a 20-year moratorium was first reported by Axios."}],[{"start":174.607,"text":"A constant barrier to progress on the nuclear talks has been Trump’s demand that Tehran dismantle its capacity to enrich uranium, with Washington insisting on “zero enrichment”. But Iran considers that a red line, citing its right as a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty."}],[{"start":194,"text":"“You can play around with the numbers and perhaps arrive somewhere in the middle, but for Iran this is a question of pride and resistance,” said Sanam Vakil, at Chatham House. “If they commit to a prolonged moratorium, it would have to come with a lot of sweeteners including their right to enrich.”"}],[{"start":210.88,"text":"Iran is insisting on sanctions relief and the unfreezing of its overseas assets as part of any deal."}],[{"start":220.218,"text":"The US and Iran held three rounds of indirect talks on the nuclear programme in the weeks before the war."}],[{"start":226.179,"text":"At the talks in February, the US had pushed for a 10-year moratorium on uranium enrichment, a person briefed on those discussions said."}],[{"start":234.09,"text":"A day before the US and Israel attacked Iran, Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi, the main mediator of the talks, said the negotiations had made “significant progress”, with Iran agreeing to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium."}],[{"start":249.373,"text":"“There is no accumulation, so there would be zero accumulation, zero stockpiling and full verification,” he said."}],[{"start":257.131,"text":"But US officials disputed his version of events, and Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in launching the war on February 28."}],[{"start":267.115,"text":"Under a 2015 nuclear accord signed with the Obama administration and other world powers, Iran agreed to enrich uranium to levels no higher than a purity of 3.67 per cent, and to cap its stockpile of enriched uranium at 300kg, with the rest transferred offshore, for 15 years."}],[{"start":286.663,"text":"In return, it received significant sanctions relief."}],[{"start":290.001,"text":"That deal collapsed when Trump unilaterally abandoned the accord in his first term as president and imposed waves of sanctions on the Islamic republic. Iran responded by dramatically expanding its nuclear activity, including enriching uranium close to weapons grade, despite it insisting the programme was for peaceful, civilian purposes."}],[{"start":319.68,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1776219364_1607.mp3"}