In a televised interview of more than two hours on Saturday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has appealed to Iranians to support a nuclear deal with the 5+1 Powers.

Amid detailed questions about the terms of the nuclear framework, declared last Thursday between Iran and the 5+1 (US, Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia), Zarif said, �We defend our people�s rights, but the talks are tough. Please give us three months to negotiate.�

Reached after months of intensive negotiations, the framework sets out limits on Iran�s nuclear centrifuges and facilities, moves almost all of Tehran�s enriched uranium out of the country or dilutes it, and mandates extensive inspections. The two sides will now discuss implementation of the terms, hoping for a comprehensive resolution by a June 30 deadline.

Needing to minimize the scale of Iranian concessions � given to avoid an economic crisis, caused in part by US-led sanctions � Zarif portrayed Tehran�s resolve: �They wanted to get Iran to submit � [that was the] point of sanctions. I am proud of the Iranian nation, they showed Iran wouldn�t submit.�

Much of the conversation turned on a public rift between Iran and the US after the announcement of the framework. Iranian officials, including Zarif, had accused the Americans of �spinning� the agreed points with a fact sheet setting out the terms and Iran�s concessions. In particular, Tehran claimed Washington was lying with the presentation of a �gradual� removal of US, European Union, and UN sanctions � Zarif and others insisted that the restrictions would be �immediately� lifted upon a comprehensive deal.

However, last night the Foreign Minister effectively admitted that the US language � sanctions will be lifted when the �International Atomic Energy Agency verifies Iranian compliance�, but can be re-imposed if Iran is found in violation of the agreement � is correct:
On the Day One when the IAEA confirms that Iran has implemented its obligations in a deal, the US would have to lift all sanctions.
Zarif said that US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf�s estimate of �six months� for the process was far too cautious � instead, IAEA clearance and the removal of sanctions could come within �six weeks�.

That message, however, appears to be lost on Iranian State media this morning.�Press TV omits�the Foreign Minister�s proviso about IAEA verification to headline, �Zarif: UNSC [UN Security Council] to Kill Anti-Iran Resolutions Upon Final Deal�.

Fars News, the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards, ignores Zarif�s interview on its English-language site. Instead, it continues to�feature Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi�s denunciation�of the State Department comments as a �wrong interpretation�.

Fars� Persian-language site has�a full report of Zarif�s remarks, but also omits the statement about IAEA verification.

State news agency IRNA�s English outlet also�makes no reference�to the proviso and appears to have buried the interview on�its Persian-language site.

By EA WorldView