Dubai: The dramatic expansion of fighting in Yemen should not derail the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany), which may be about to come to their long awaited conclusion.

This is despite clear concern that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) action against the Iranian-supported Al Houthi rebels might lead Iran to make the GCC stopping military intervention part of the nuclear talks, as Iran might want to use the talks as another lever in its regional rivalry with Saudi Arabia.

But experience has shown that the nuclear talks have their own momentum. For example when Russia annexed Crimea and supported Ukrainian separatists, Russia continued to support the American leadership of the P5+1, and the nuclear talks never got sucked into the Ukrainian crisis. Similarly, active Iranian support for militias in the Iraqi civil war has also not become part of the nuclear discussions.

The nuclear talks have remained firmly focused on the technicalities of Iran’s nuclear progamme, and neither Iran nor the P5+1 led by the Americans has sought to turn the nuclear talks into a “Grand Bargain” which would cover a whole range of topics like fighting terrorists, the fate of Iraq and Afghanistan, and even fighting organised crime and the drug business.

The Saudis have led GCC opposition to the nuclear deal, pointing out that if Iran is let off the hook by a nuclear deal and sanctions are relaxed, Iran may well feel able to continue its many sectarian interventions into Arab politics with impunity. Iran has been active supporting the Al Houthis with money if not with material or troops, as well as putting men and equipment to back Shiite militias in Iraq and Lebanon, and the government in Syria.

Reports from Lausanne show the most pressing outstanding issues are:

* The level to which Iran is required to reduce its enrichment programme.

* Limits on Iran’s research and development activities.

* Iran’s granted stockpile of enriched uranium.

* Monitoring measures adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency if Iran’s nuclear dossier moves from the UN Security Council to the IAEA.

* Overall mechanism and timeline to lift UN, US, and EU sanctions on Iran.