U.S., Iranian Officials Debate Nuclear Program

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations last week unexpectedly debated two top Iranian officials over Iran’s nuclear program during a World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, the Los Angeles Times reported (see GSN, Jan. 29).

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad did not break from official U.S. positions during the 78-minute panel discussion that included Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and presidential adviser Mojtaba Samare Hashemi. 

However, he violated rules prohibiting U.S. officials from engaging Iranian officials without advance permission.

“Ambassador Khalilzad’s appearance with the Iranian foreign minister and presidential adviser was not authorized,” a State Department spokesman said, adding that officials would discuss the violation with Khalilzad.

Some experts have theorized that the Bush administration is seeking dialogue with Iran on the nuclear standoff following the release of a U.S. intelligence assessment last month concluding that Tehran halted nuclear weapons development in 2003.  A spokesman for Khalilzad said the exchange cannot be considered part of such a dialogue.

“The panel was not instigated by the State Department,” Khalilzad said in an e-mail response to questions following his appearance.  “It was a multilateral setting — in which we made our points and they made their points.  There were no handshakes, no side meeting.  We do it in (the U.N. General Assembly) and other multilateral settings.  No change in policy.”

Khalilzad was a late addition to the panel discussion, joining following cancellations by two U.S. senators (Richter/Farley, Los Angeles Times, Jan. 30).

The U.N. Security Council is considering new nuclear sanctions against Iran that would include inspections of deliveries thought to be carrying nuclear equipment as well as a travel ban on officials involved in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, according to Agence France-Presse.  The five permanent members of the body and Germany agreed last week to the proposed measures.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that his country would not be deterred from its nuclear plans.

 “Iranians … will not back down one iota in defense of their rights,” Ahmadinejad said in an address near the Bushehr nuclear power plant now under construction in southern Iran.

“The nuclear issue was the most important challenge since the revolution but with the help of God and your resistance, it is ending in favor of the Iranian nation,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Jan. 30).

The Bushehr plant is 93 percent complete and officials expect the facility to begin operating near the end of September, said Iranian nuclear energy production chief Ahmad Fayazbakhsh.

The 1,000-megawatt power plant received the last shipment of an 82-ton nuclear fuel delivery from Russia earlier this week, the Iranian Students News Agency reported (Iranian Students News Agency, Jan. 30).

Fayazbakhsh added that Russia plans to send roughly 1,900 metric tons of precision instruments, ventilation systems and other equipment for the Bushehr facility, AFP reported (AFP, Jan. 30).

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