Iran Risk Management Report: Important differences remain as nuclear talks move up a gear

Talks between Iran and the P5+1 – that is China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, led by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton – have continued since a historic interim nuclear agreement was signed in a Geneva hotel on 24 November. That deal, due to last six months, outlined around $7bn worth of sanctions relief for Iran, in return for curbs on nuclear activities. A fresh round of talks took place in Vienna on 8-9 April, after which the participants said there was agreement on “50-60%” of issues, and that the next round of talks, scheduled for 13 May in Vienna, would move into another phase.