Iran Agrees to Sign IAEA Additional Protocol, Suspend Uranium Enrichment

Iran announced today that it would suspend uranium enrichment activities immediately and accept more intrusive international monitoring of its nuclear activities (see GSN, Oct. 20).

Following meetings in Tehran with the British, French and German foreign ministers, Hassan Rohani, secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would sign the Additional Protocol to its international nuclear safeguards agreement and would suspend all uranium enrichment activities. Although the suspensions of uranium enrichment would begin immediately, Rohani said other parts of the deal would require approval from the Iranian parliament (CNN.com, Oct. 21).

The suspension would last for an “interim period” and was intended to express Iran’s “goodwill and create a new atmosphere of trust and confidence between Iran and the international community,” Rohani said (Associated Press/New York Times, Oct. 21).

In exchange for the Iranian actions and the easing of international concerns, “Iran could expect easier access to modern technology and supplies in a range of areas,” according to joint declaration released after the talks (CNN.com, Oct. 21).

European officials have said that France, Germany and the United Kingdom were prepared to sell Iran enough nuclear fuel to develop a civilian nuclear program, according to the Washington Post. 

Currently, Russia is Iran’s main supplier of nuclear technology, but the International Atomic Energy Agency does not consider Moscow to be “100 percent reliable” in enforcing nonproliferation safeguards, a European official said. If European countries became Iran’s main supplier, however, the IAEA could be more assured that nuclear technology was not being diverted to military programs, the official said.

“If we Europeans could be the supplier, that totally changes the equation,” the official said.

A European diplomat said prior to today’s announcement that an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program would help to vindicate Europe’s policy of engagement with Tehran, rather than the more-confrontational approach of the United States.

“We have diplomatic relations with Iran, which the Americans do not, so we can engage in all levels — politically, diplomatically, economically,” the diplomat said. “It’s a real success for our engagement policy instead of the American confrontation policy,” the diplomat added (Frankel/Richburg, Washington Post, Oct. 21).

White House spokesman Scott McLellan offered tentative approval for the announcment.

“If Iran does sign and implement the Additional Protocol, cooperate fully with the IAEA and end its uranium enrichment reprocessing activities, it would be a positive step in the right direction,” he said today (Associated Press/USA Today, Oct. 21).

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali traveled to Iran today for economic and energy talks, according to the Associated Press.

“I will discuss all major issues with Iranian leaders,” Jamali said, adding that Pakistan had “very good” relations with Iran.

While Pakistan has been suspected of having aided Iran in developing its nuclear program, both countries have denied any such collaboration (Sadaqat Jan, Associated Press, Oct. 21).

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