US-Iran negotiations - claims and counter-claims

More information and counter-information.

United States, Iran agree to one-on-one nuclear talks : New York Times

The United States and Iran have agreed for the first time to one-on-one negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing Obama administration officials.

News Daily,

20 October, 2012

Iranian officials have insisted the talks not begin until after the November 6 U.S. election because they want to know which U.S. president they will be negotiating with, a senior administration official told the Times.

The Times said the agreement was the result of secret exchanges between American and Iranian officials that date almost to the beginning of President Barack Obama's term in 2009.

The White House declined to comment on the Times report when contacted by Reuters.

The United States and other Western powers have charged that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists the program is for peaceful purposes. Israel has said it would use military force to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has attacked Obama for failing to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. The two candidates will meet on Monday in their final debate, which will focus on foreign policy.

The U.S.-Iranian agreement had been reached with senior Iranian officials who report to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an unnamed administration official told the Times.

US denies Iran nuclear talks New York Times report

The White House has denied a report in the New York Times saying that Iran had agreed to one-on-one negotiations over its nuclear programme with the US.

BBC,

21 October, 2012

The report, quoting unnamed officials, said Iran had agreed to the talks for the first time but would not hold them until after US elections on 6 November.

The White House said it was prepared to meet Iran bilaterally, but that there was no plan to do so.

Western states think Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, something it denies.

Iran has been a key foreign policy topic in the US election campaign.

President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will hold their third and final campaign debate on Monday, on the subject of foreign policy.

'Crippling sanctions'

The New York Times report said the US and Iran had agreed to one-on-one negotiations "in principle".

But US National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement that it was untrue the US and Iran had "agreed to one-on-one talks or any meeting after the American elections".

"We continue to work... on a diplomatic solution and have said from the outset that we would be prepared to meet bilaterally," he added.

Negotiations between Iran and the the P5+1 negotiation group - which includes the UK, US, France, China, Russia and Germany - have stalled.

Western nations have used increasingly harsh sanctions in an effort to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme.

Mr Romney has accused Mr Obama of being too soft on Iran.

Mr Obama opposes a near-term military strike by the US or Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities, but says he is determined to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.

"The president has made clear that he will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and we will do what we must to achieve that," Mr Vietor said.

"The onus is on the Iranians to do so, otherwise they will continue to face crippling sanctions and increased pressure."