Iran and the P5+ attempt to reach agreement to end Iran sanctions by June

By Catherine Kent

Talks are ongoing between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Britain. In exchange for relief from sanctions that have seriously damaged its economy, Iran will take steps to curtail its nuclear program. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif are set to meet again on March 15 in Switzerland to continue their attempt to reach an agreement over future of Iran’s nuclear development. Though Kerry’s last met with Zarif, on Monday, March 2, nothing has yet been agreed upon. Iran, on the other hand, denies seeking atomic weapons, maintaining that its nuclear energy program is strictly peaceful. “The imposed sanctions on Iran are cruel and illegal … lifting all the sanctions is the only way to reach a nuclear deal,” said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Bilateral and trilateral meetings with the P5+ countries will follow these one-on-ones, and the countries hope to reach a final deal by June 2015.