More Medical Trouble For Iran Talks As Zarif Is Hospitalised

Alliance News - Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has been hospitalized with back problems, Iranian media reported Tuesday, in another medical incident that could slow down talks on an international nuclear deal after Zarif's US counterpart John Kerry broke a leg. Zarif had acute pain in his lower back and was unable to walk, according to news agency ISNA. Iran and six world powers aim to conclude an agreement by the end of June that would curb Iran's civilian programme and reduce the risk that it could be used for making atomic weapons.

Economic sanctions would be lifted in return. Kerry broke his leg in a bicycle accident on Sunday near Geneva, where he had held talks with Zarif on the previous day. Kerry had surgery on Tuesday morning in Boston. Surgeon Dennis Burke said the procedure was uncomplicated and his fractured right femur was "fully repaired." "We plan to get him up walking on Wednesday," Burke said in a statement, adding that he expected a short hospitalization and a full recovery.

He also said he didn't expect Kerry's condition would interfere with his duties as secretary of state. White House spokesman Josh Earnest acknowledged Monday that it seemed unlikely that Kerry would be able to spend as much time in face-to-face negotiations as he had done previously, but the US administration also plans to stick to the June 30 deadline. Previous milestones in the nuclear talks, which have been held mostly in Austria and Switzerland, were achieved after lengthy direct talks between Zarif and Kerry. Zarif had suffered a similar lumbago episode at the start of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the group of Britain, China, France,Russia, the US and Germany in 2013.

He said at the time that the symptoms were stress-related and were caused by a campaign of Iranian hard-liners who oppose rapprochement between Tehran and Washington. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is scheduled to decide June 9 whether to extend the mandate of the panel of experts on its Iran sanctions committee, said Johan Ariff Abdul Razak, a Malaysian diplomat, whose country holds the council's rotating presidency for the month. "We would not want to prejudge the outcome of the council's decision on this mandate," Razak said, noting, however, that the council's decision is linked to the nuclear deal. - See more at: http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1433308844040482100/more-medical-trouble-for-iran-talks-as-zarif-is-hospitalised.aspx#sthash.RwvP5eWz.dpuf