Iranian nuclear deal may help stabilize Middle East - expert
MADRID. April 8 (Interfax) - A final Iran nuclear deal may help stabilize the entire Middle East, Italian geopolitical expert Demostenes Floros told Interfax.
"Considering the geographic and strategic position of Iran, one may expect the immediate strengthening of Middle Eastern stability in the case of a final nuclear deal," he presumed.
In his opinion, the West and Iran may be able to develop constructive cooperation in Syria upon the resolution of disputable issues pertaining to the Iranian nuclear dossier.
The possible success of Tehran's negotiations with the six international mediators will have a positive influence on Iran-Russia relations, Floros stressed.
"For instance, bilateral relations will strengthen in the Caspian issue in which the interests of Moscow and Tehran do not seem to be conflicting," the expert said.
The ongoing international sanctions on Iran have tangible negative implications for the national economy and the life of its citizens. The lift of the sanctions will be good for the economic and social life of Iran and allow it to start a number of energy and other projects, the expert continued.
"Speaking of natural gas, the situation is not easy. Iran will have to draw investment in order to use its colossal gas reserves. Gas projects will take time, modern technologies and, first and foremost, large funds, which only foreign investors can supply," he said.
As reported earlier, the next full-scale round of negotiations between the P5+1 group and Iran began in Vienna, Austria on Monday.
The third round of negotiations, Vienna-3, will last for three days, and the sides will concentrate on practical issues on Tuesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told reporters upon his arrival in Vienna that the sides were determined to discuss the outstanding problems, exchange opinions and summarize the outcomes of earlier debates in order to move on to a new stage of the negotiations, the Iranian news agency said.
A three-day meeting of experts was held in Vienna last week in anticipation of the next round of negotiations between the P5+1 group and Iran.
The previous round was held in Vienna on March 17-19 to discuss Iranian uranium enrichment programs, sanctions, international cooperation in atomic energy and ways to lift international concerns about the Arak heavy-water reactor, which international experts suspect of the ability to produce war-grade plutonium.
Iran and the P5+1 group struck an intermediate deal in Geneva last November for a period of six months. They said the final deal would be elaborated within a year since the intermediate deal had been concluded.
Iran undertook to stop the 20% uranium enrichment within six months and not to enrich uranium by more than 5% in that period. It also pledged to dispose of the 20% enriched uranium stock, to suspend the construction of the Arak heavy-water reactor, not to deploy new uranium enrichment centrifuges and to broaden the access of IAEA inspectors to its nuclear sites.
In exchange the West promised to alleviate the sanctions on the Islamic republic.
The implementation of the intermediate deal started on January 20, 2014.