Iran Offers Hope to Ease Nuclear Impasse

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator raised hopes yesterday that a long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis could be negotiated, the Financial Times reported (see GSN, Feb. 9).

Speaking to a Munich security conference attended by many international defense ministers, Ali Larijani said Iran could accept some limitations on its uranium enrichment capabilities, according to the Times.

He said Iran was willing to hold negotiations with the European Union.

“Europe has the necessary will for a settlement of this case and there is the political will on our side to have a negotiated settlement,” Larijani said. 

“There are solutions to address your concern.  We don’t want you to be concerned,” he told conference participants (Financial Times, Feb. 12).

Iran could assuage international concerns over its intentions quickly, Larijani said, mentioning an offer delivered recently to International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei.

“I have written to Mr. ElBaradei to say we are ready to within three weeks to have the modality to solve all the outstanding issues with you,” he said (Associated Press I/The Guardian, Feb. 11).

Despite the sense of optimism, Larijani made it clear that Iran would not freeze its enrichment activities as a precondition to beginning talks.  The European Union and the U.N. Security Council have made that demand (David Rising, Associated Press II/International Herald Tribune, Feb. 12).

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also reinforced Iran’s position yesterday, AP reported.

“We are prepared for dialogue, but won’t suspend our activities,” he said.

Ahmadinejad promised major advancements to Iran’s nuclear program in the weeks ahead. 

“Until April 9, 2007, you will witness the great advances of the Iranian nation … especially in the field of nuclear technology,” he said.  That date would be near the first anniversary of Iran’s announcement that had successfully enriched uranium (see GSN, April 12, 2006).

The Iranian president did not specify what the new developments would be, but Tehran has recently begun to install the first of 3,000 planned centrifuges at an underground enrichment site at Natanz (Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press III/San Diego Union-Tribune, Feb. 11).

By continuing its nuclear activities, Iran has rejected the U.N. Security Council demand to suspend its program, leading the council in December to call for economic sanctions.

EU leaders today agreed on specific measures to implement those sanctions, Reuters reported.

Meeting in Brussels, EU foreign ministers agreed to adhere to the sanctions mandated in the December resolution and decided not to heed U.S. calls to impose harsher measures.

“The EU text transcribes the U.N. sanctions one-by-one in a very strict and stringent manner,” said one EU diplomat (John/Ennis, Reuters/Washington Post, Feb. 12).

For its part the Bush administration continued its recent efforts to tone down its rhetoric regarding the possibility of taking military action against Iran.  That possibility has appeared to gain credence recently after President George W. Bush authorized U.S. forces in Iraq to fire on Iranian personnel who appeared to be backing insurgents.  Bush also ordered a second aircraft carrier battle group to patrol the Persian Gulf

Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week sought to clarify the president’s orders.

“I don’t know how many times the president, [Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice and I have had to repeat that we have no intention of attacking Iran, that the second carrier group is there to reassure our allies, as well as to send a signal that we’ve been in the Persian Gulf for decades and we intend to stay there,” he said.  “I think these are fairly modest statements, frankly” (Financial Times).

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