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US: Limited sanction relief if Iran halts activity | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, right, walks next to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, left, during a photo opportunity prior to the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, November 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)


EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, right, walks next to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, left, during a photo opportunity prior to the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, November 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, right, walks next to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, left, during a photo opportunity prior to the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, November 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)

Washington, AP—The White House says world powers negotiating with Iran are pursuing an agreement that would offer some sanctions relief if Iran halts and possibly reverses parts of its nuclear program.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says the first step would deal with Iran’s most advanced nuclear activities. The goals would be to increase transparency and create more time for further negotiations.

Carney says in exchange, the world powers would consider targeted and limited sanctions relief. He says the relief would be reversible, and sanctions could even be tightened, if Iran breaks its word.

In other news from Geneva, Iran’s plan to cap some of the country’s atomic activities in exchange for selective relief from crippling economic sanctions has been accepted by six world powers, the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator said Thursday.

The upbeat comments from Abbas Araghchi, reported by Iranian state TV, suggest that negotiators in Geneva are moving from broad discussions over a nuclear deal to specific steps limiting Tehran’s ability to make atomic weapons. In return, Iran would start getting relief from sanctions that have hit its economy hard.

“Today, they clearly said that they accept the proposed framework by Iran,” Araghchi said.

Though he described the negotiations as “very difficult,” he said he expected agreement on details by Friday, the last scheduled round of the current talks.

International negotiators representing the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany declined to comment on Araghchi’s statement.

Talks resumed Thursday between Iran, the US and five world powers.