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Iran, Russia Continue Nuclear Compromise Talks
Russian and Iranian negotiators today resumed efforts in Moscow to forge a compromise agreement over Iran’s sensitive nuclear activities, Reuters reported (see GSN, Feb. 28). “It sounds as if they are combining technical expert discussions with highly placed diplomatic efforts. They are making their best efforts on both sides and I take that as a good sign,” said Rose Gottemoeller, director of the Moscow Carnegie Center (Meg Clothier, Reuters I/Yahoo!News, March 1). Tehran would not accept a compromise in which it indefinitely forgoes uranium enrichment in favor of having Russia conduct that work on its behalf, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said today, the Associated Press reported. “Definitely in this item, Iran insists as short as possible,” he said. Mottaki said Iranian negotiators would be flexible during the talks, AP reported. “The Russian plan is on the table,” he said, later adding: “We are flexible.” Despite calls from Russia to do so, Larijani said there was no need for Tehran to resume a moratorium on its sensitive nuclear activities, AP reported. “A moratorium is necessary when there is something dangerous. But all our activities are transparent,” Larijani told Interfax after arriving in Moscow. Mottaki also rejected allegations in an International Atomic Energy Agency report released Monday that Iran was not fully cooperating with the agency (Joseph Coleman, Associated Press/ABCNews.com, March 1). The U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday that the report indicates that the U.N. Security Council must take action against Iran, Agence France-Presse reported. “Iran’s cooperation (with the IAEA) remains forced and incomplete,” said Ambassador Gregory Schulte. Schulte said Iran’s nuclear effort was “not a peaceful program. This is not innocent ‘research and development.’” “This is why Iran’s leaders have lost the confidence of the international community,” he said (Agence France-Presse I/IranMania.com, Feb. 28). U.S. President George W. Bush said today that Iran must be prevented from developing nuclear weapons, AFP reported. “Iran must not have a nuclear weapon,” Bush said during a stop in Afghanistan. “And so the world is speaking with one voice to the Iranians that it’s OK for you to have a civilian nuclear power operation, but you shall not have the means, the knowledge to develop a nuclear weapon,” he said. Bush added that he continues to support Russia’s efforts to resolve the issue (Agence France-Presse II/Interactive Investor, March 1). Experts have said that the United States should consider incentives to end the standoff, AFP reported yesterday. “The trouble is that all of the steps that have been taken so far don’t seem likely to produce an acceptable outcome,” said Gareth Evans, former Australian foreign minister and now head of the International Crisis Group. Incentives for Iran should include “withdrawal of all of the existing sanctions, diplomatic normalization, overt support for (World Trade Organization) accession and of course security guarantees,” Evans said. He added that Iran has the right to enrich uranium domestically for a nuclear energy program and should be allowed “limited” enrichment capabilities. Tehran, in turn, would need to accept several conditions, including postponing the commencement of its enrichment program for a period of years. Other experts are skeptical that any nonmilitary option would work. “I think we are getting to the moment of truth,” James Phillips, an expert on Iran at the Heritage Foundation, told AFP. “I think it’s a very increasing possibility that this is going to end in war.” “I think Iran will get caught red-handed again sponsoring terrorism and at that point there is a strong possibility the U.S. will respond militarily, including on the nuclear program,” Phillips said. John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, said he also believes the United States is likely to bomb Iranian nuclear installations. Pike said opponents of the military option have not carefully considered the probable outcomes if it is not taken. “These are people who have focused on the cost of Iranian retaliation without focusing on the cost of atomic Ayatollahs,” he said (Jocelyne Zablit, Agence France-Presse III/Yahoo!News, Feb. 28). Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said he pressed U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in January not to attack Iran, Reuters reported today. “I said to him word for word: ‘Listen to my advice for once,’” Mubarak said in remarks published today in the official Egyptian daily al-Gomhuria. “If an air strike (against Iran) took place, Iraq will turn into terrorist groups more than it is already. ... The Gulf area has Shiite majorities in many of the states and America is linked to vital interests in this area and has naval facilities,” he said. “Iran spends generously on the Shia in every country and these people are prepared to do anything if Iran is hit,” he added. Mubarak had opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to Reuters. Mubarak also told al-Gomhuria that Tehran would launch ballistic missiles against Israel if attacked (Reuters II/Yahoo!News, March 1).
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