Report: US could allow limited Iranian uranium enrichment

[IRN34]

Salehi says Tehran will try to restore EU ties

TEHRAN, May 3 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has said that the Islamic Republic will try to restore its relationship with the European Union, which has been strained due to the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.

In a recent interview with the Austrian Press Agency (APA), Salehi said that Iran, on its part, will make every effort to “put back on track” its relations with the EU, adding that the EU needs Iran’s oil and Iran is keen to use European countries’ technological capabilities. AM/PA END MNA

[Camera]

Beware a Bad Deal with Tehran


Amos Yadlin, Yoel Guzansky

(…)

In any possible deal, the assumption is that Iran will be granted legitimacy to enrich uranium on its soil. Thus, the difference between a "good deal" and a "bad deal" lies in parameters of Iran’s enrichment that would prevent it from breaking out towards nuclear weapons. The idea is to stop the clock or even reverse it, thereby allowing for nonmilitary options to stop Iran’s nuclearization to be fully exhausted.


A deal with the following parameters would be considered good: significant limitations on continuing enrichment until Iran has regained the trust of the international community; removing most of the enriched uranium from Iran, both that enriched to 3.5 percent as well as that enriched to 20 percent, closing the facility dug into the mountainside near Qom; signing the IAEA "additional protocol"; and providing satisfying explanations for the questions that remain between the IAEA and Iran. Such a deal would ensure that an Iranian breakout to nuclear weapons would be a long process and thus place Iran outside the "immunity zone." It would not meet all past demands made on Iran, but it would be better than the alternative of Iran having the bomb or being bombed. However, the probability of Iran accepting such an agreement is very low.


A bad deal, one that the Iranians are likely to offer and that the international community would be tempted to accept, would include explicit legitimacy for Iran enriching uranium on its soil up to the 5 percent level but would not include removal of most of the already-enriched uranium from within Iran’s borders. The bad deal also would include not limiting the number or type of centrifuges and enrichment sites. Iran then would be able to continue securing its sites in a way that would make damaging them much harder than it is at present. With such a deal, Iran would be able to improve its chances of breaking out toward nuclear weapons in a relatively short time after making the decision to do so.


Should the sides agree to this, even with some modifications, it would legitimize an Iranian nuclear posture in which Tehran remains dangerously on the nuclear threshold. Concurrently, the pressure on Iran would end, sanctions would be suspended or eased, and Iran would avoid the danger of a military strike.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.inss.org.il/upload/(FILE)1336059774.pdf

[Camera]

EU tells defiant Iran 'must' suspend atom activity

By REUTER$
05/07/2012 20:23

Tehran, West engaged in diplomatic shadow-boxing ahead of nuclear talks this month.


VIENNA/BRUSSELS - The European Union told Iran on Monday it "must" suspend uranium enrichment, a few days after the Islamic state ruled out doing just that, as Tehran and the West engaged in diplomatic shadow-boxing ahead of nuclear talks this month.

CONTINUED: http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/N...aspx?id=269042

Asking Iran for to suspend enrichment is a good idea because his reaquest is in accordance with the UNSCRs.

[Camera]

Netanyahu: Iran must commit to halt all enrichment in upcoming nuclear talks

In unusual move, PM invites Barak, Lieberman and newcomer Mofaz to join meeting with EU foreign policy chief Ashton, in which he accused Iran of playing for time and said world powers must demand that Iran take tangible steps toward halting uranium enrichment.


By Barak Ravid

(…)

On Wednesday afternoon, the prime minister met with European Union Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton, who arrived in Israel to brief Netanyahu on the preparations for the second round of nuclear talks with Iran, which are set to take place on May 23 in Baghdad.

(…)

In an unusual move, Netanyahu invited Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to join the meeting with Ashton, along with the newcomer, Kadima head Shaul Mofaz. Mofaz, who will be sworn in Wednesday as a minister in the government, will join Netanyahu's security cabinet, which will now be called the forum of nine senior ministers.
During the meeting, the Israelis presented a rigid set of demands for the Iranians, a senior Israeli official said. Netanyahu and the three ministers told Ashton that Israel's position leading up to the Baghdad talks is that the talks will be considered as progress only if they would yield an Iranian guarantee – with a clear timetable – to halt uranium enrichment, to remove all enriched uranium out of Iranian soil, and to dismantle the underground enrichment facility in Fordo, which is near Qom.
"Iran is trying to gain time through talks with the West, and has no intention of halting its nuclear program," Netanyahu told Ashton at the meeting.
According to a report published by Israeli newspaper Maariv on Wednesday, several officials who took part in the coalitional negotiations between Mofaz and Netanyahu said the two are "coordinated" over the issue of Iran and are "of one mind" when it comes to stopping Iran's nuclear program.
(…)

Ashton's visit to Israel is also slightly unusual. As opposed to all of her previous visits, Ashton's bureau refrained from officially announcing the visit or responding to journalists' questions on the topic. Moreover, she did not visit the Palestinian Authority, but solely met with Netanyahu and his senior ministers and flew back to Brussels.

(…)

Netanyahu and his senior ministers made clear to Ashton during the meeting that the world powers must demand that Iran take tangible steps to halt uranium enrichment, and not simply make do with declarations. Lieberman, who visited in Berlin this week, told his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle that Israel expects that the world powers will agree on tangible steps during the meeting with Iran, and not only to hold further meetings that would enable the Iranians to play for time.

http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diploma...talks-1.429227

[KoTeMoRe]

Halting Enrichment cannot be on the table.

Futhermore while I totally grasp their worries, telling what the P5 must or must not demand from Iran seems out of place. Really. Ashton is making a complete mess of the European diplomacy by "briefing" Israel on what they are going to do. That way of dealing with Iran backfired already on the US regarding the Hostage crisis.

[Camera]

Halting Enrichment cannot be on the table.

Why not?
Two days ago the EU said the same thing.

Futhermore while I totally grasp their worries, telling what the P5 must or must not demand from Iran seems out of place. Really. Ashton is making a complete mess of the European diplomacy by "briefing" Israel on what they are going to do. That way of dealing with Iran backfired already on the US regarding the Hostage crisis.

On the contrary it's a good thing. We know all the P5+1 inform Israel about their approach for the talks. And we know Israel informs them what result she expects.

[IRN34]

Iran will not halt ''all'' enrichment activities... I think the Israeli statements will not help the cause at all, rather destabilize the talks. It is better for Israel to let the P5+1 handle the case.

[IRN34]

Why not?
Two days ago the EU said the same thing.

lol... you realize that this can be on the table for Europeans,Americans,but It will be more important if Iran accepts this (halting all uranium activities)
So the P5+1 can put anything on the table but will the Iranians accept it ?

[Camera]

Iran will not halt ''all'' enrichment activities... I think the Israeli statements will not help the cause at all, rather destabilize the talks. It is better for Israel to let the P5+1 handle the case.

Only yesterday, the US vice President stated that the window for the talks is closing and he stressed Israel's right to take action if it sees it as necessary: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=269189
So whatever the income of the talks should be, it is logical for the P5+1 to consults with Israel.

lol... you realize that this can be on the table for Europeans,Americans,but It will be more important if Iran accepts this (halting all uranium activities)
So the P5+1 can put anything on the table but will the Iranians accept it ?

Well, they may not accept it, but they can not change the basic fact that Iran is still abided by UNSCRs to suspend all Uranium enrichment.
Even Iran's friends, Russia and China, are annoyed with this.

[IRN34]

Only yesterday, the US vice President stated that the window for the talks is closing and he stressed Israel's right to take action if it sees it as necessary: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=269189
So whatever the income of the talks should be, it is logical for the P5+1 to consults with Israel.

''Window for talks closing'' ''All options are on the table'' is not something new and originates from the early days of the Bush administration... Iranian government is not impressed by such statements... their actions, in response to the US,Israeli statements have proven this.

Well, they may not accept it, but they can not change the basic fact that Iran is still abided by UNSCRs to suspend all Uranium enrichment.
Even Iran's friends, Russia and China, are annoyed with this.

Halting all enrichment activities is not an option for Iran, many officials from Iran stated this during the past few weeks. What can be considered is to enrich to 5% and sign the additional IAEI protocol to allow more IAEI inspectors, that way the oil embargo which is set for July will get lifted and Iran is allowed back into the SWIFT banking system.

[Camera]

Halting all enrichment activities is not an option for Iran, many officials from Iran stated this during the past few weeks. What can be considered is to enrich to 5% and sign the additional IAEI protocol to allow more IAEI inspectors, that way the oil embargo which is set for July will get lifted and Iran is allowed back into the SWIFT banking system.

I'm not an expert in nuclear technology, but as long as I read about the topic, I presume this could be a good basis to strike a deal if Iran also accepts to take out of the country the enriched Uranium it stockpiled and to close the Qom facility.
In exchange it will receive the fuel Iran needs for its peaceful activities.

[Camera]

@IRN34:

On an out of topic note, Shaul Mofaz, the new coalition partner of Netanyau, was born in Iran and he speaks Farsi very well. He was a former IDF COS and a former Defense Minister of Israel.




He is on the left in the picture taken with Ashton.

[geolocator]

I presume this could be a good basis to strike a deal if Iran also accepts to take out of the country the enriched Uranium it stockpiled and to close the Qom facility.
In exchange it will receive the fuel Iran needs for its peaceful activities.

It's absolutely unreal. Maybe if all UNSC sunctions would be lifted they could mull it over.

[Camera]

It's absolutely unreal. Maybe if all UNSC sunctions would be lifted they could mull it over.

This is the idea.

[IRN34]

This is the idea.

What about the ban on civilian aircrafts ? is that also included in the UNSC sanctions