World powers offered broader concessions than ever to Iran in attempts Wednesday to keep alive diplomatic channels that seek to rein in the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and prevent it from building an atomic weapon.
The offer was hailed by Saeed Jalili, Iran’s top official at diplomatic talks in Kazakhstan, who said it represented a “turning point” by world powers to compromise on Tehran’s uranium enrichment program after years of delicate negotiations that nearly dissolved last June.
The proposal allows Iran to keep a limited amount of highly enriched uranium — but not make any more — stops short of demanding the full shutdown of an underground nuclear facility, and offers to remove some trade sanctions that have hurt Iran’s economy.
Still, a senior U.S. official said, crippling sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial industries would remain in place as negotiations continue.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks more candidly.
The latest offer marked a small but significant shift from earlier, harder-line proposals that prompted Iran to dig in its heels amid fears that an arms race in neighboring states could sow yet more instability in the already turbulent Mideast.
Israel has repeatedly hinted its readiness to strike Iranian nuclear facilities — a military venture the United States likely would be dragged into.
The new offer also is expected to force Iran to respond with a reasonable plan of its own — or be seen as a recalcitrant negotiator unwilling to compromise.
The proposal “was more realistic than before and had tried to get closer to the Iranian viewpoint in some cases,” Jalili told reporters at the end of two days of negotiations in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty.
“We consider this positive — although there is a long distance to reach the suitable point.”
British Foreign Minister William Hague called the talks “useful” and said the new proposal aimed “to build confidence on both sides and move negotiations forward.”
“I look forward to further progress,” Hague said in a statement.
Iran maintains it has the right under international law to enrich uranium to 20 percent — a level that can quickly be elevated into use for nuclear warheads.
Tehran claims it needs that level of enriched uranium for reactor fuel and medical isotopes, and has signaled it does not intend to stop. U.N. nuclear inspectors last week confirmed Iran has begun a major upgrade of its program at the country’s main uranium enrichment site.
read more…..http://news.yahoo.com/world-powers-coax-iran-saving-nuclear-talks-165127448.html
Leave a Reply