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Iran Unwilling to Accept Russian Nuclear Compromise
A Russian compromise proposal aimed at resolving the international standoff over Iran’s nuclear activities has yet to gain favor in Tehran, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Feb. 21). “There are no reasons at this stage to resume dialogue,” an Iranian official told the Russian daily Vedomosti. The official said Iran’s delegation to talks in Moscow earlier this week demanded that Russia enrich uranium on Iran’s behalf for no more than three to five years and that Iran be allowed to conduct the early stages of enrichment. Russian negotiators, however, demanded that Tehran reinstate an enrichment moratorium, according to the official. A senior Russian legislator yesterday took issue with Tehran. “Unfortunately, Iran so far has not shown sufficient good will,” said Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of parliament (Henry Meyer, Associated Press/Edmonton Journal, Feb. 22). U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said yesterday that “no new ground was broken” in talks between Moscow and Tehran, AP reported. He said cooperation on the issue among the major world powers was working. “I think the momentum is with this coalition,” Burns said (Judith Ingram, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Feb. 22). Experts believe Iran is postponing any decision on a deal with Russia in hopes of exploiting differences among the world powers, the Washington Post reported today. “Iran is looking for weak spots and trying to play on the natural differences between the parties,” said Vladimir Sazhin of the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow. “When Iran finally says no to the Russian proposal, that’s when Russia will make its choice, and, I think, it will not be in favor of Iran.” Another Russian analyst said Moscow would not break with longtime ally and trading partner Iran, and that prolonging talks is a way of avoiding a decision. “You may have a long stalemate where Iran and Russia say an agreement is possible but the technical details are complex and are still being worked out,” said Sergei Mikheyev, a foreign policy analyst at the Center for Political Technologies in Moscow. “It’s important for Iran to drag this on so the West can’t draw a line. And it’s not advantageous for Russia to take a tough stand” (Peter Finn, Washington Post, Feb. 22). German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said yesterday that Iran could face U.N. economic sanctions, the Japan Times reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s decision this month to report the issue to the Security Council “means a direct step toward economic sanctions,” Steinmeier said. However, the international community “should not lose creativity” in seeking a diplomatic solution to the crisis, he said (Reiji Yoshida, Japan Times, Feb. 22). Meanwhile, Iran’s atomic energy chief said yesterday that the country’s nuclear facilities are built to withstand military strikes, Agence France-Presse reported. “The enrichment facilities, particularly Natanz, are located underground and no offensive could damage them,” said Gholamreza Aghazadeh. Aghazadeh added that Iran’s natural uranium supplies are extensive. “Our reserves are extremely developed. We can extract uranium from mines in Bandar Abbas, Saghand and Yazd,” he said (Agence France-Presse/IranMania.com, Feb. 21). Iranian cleric Mohsen Gharavian yesterday disputed claims that he endorsed the use of nuclear weapons, IRNA reported. “We do not seek nuclear weapons and the Islamic religion encourages coexistence along with peace and friendship,” Gharavian said. “I said if the enemies plan to launch attacks on our vital sites, we have the capacity to defend ourselves and take retaliatory measures against them” (IRNA, Feb. 21).
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