U.S. likely to continue engaging Iran toward nuclear deal
The U.S. and EU have not responded to the lateness, or ambiguity, of Iran's reply to the UN-drafted deal.
By Yossi Melman Tags: US Iran nuclear Israel newsWashington is expected to continue to engage Tehran toward a deal on Iran's nuclear program, according to both government sources and American sources accompanying U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her lightning visit to Israel Saturday.
The sources based their expectation on Washington's official silence following Iran's response Thursday to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The response was not made public and conflicting reports have been coming out of Iran.
Last Thursday, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said he had received a preliminary response to the proposal, but on Friday Tehran said it had not yet given its response.
The response - originally due some 10 days ago - was to a proposed transfer of about 1.2 tons of low-enriched uranium that Iran produces in Natanz to Russia, where it would be enriched to 20 percent, then transfered to France for industrial processing, after which it would be returned to the Tehran Research Reactor, which produces medical isotopes.
Iranian members of parliament and media commentators say the Islamic Republic is still demanding to purchase nuclear fuel abroad without transferring its enriched uranium. This would empty of significance the IAEA proposal, intended to distance Iran from its uranium-enriched fuel for 18 months to prevent it from manufacturing fissionable material to potentially create a weapon.
The United States and the European Union have responded neither to the lateness of Tehran's reply nor to its ambiguity, and have yet to demand clarification. The lack of response seems to stem from the realization that Russia and China will not join the United States and Europe if the latter seek greater sanctions against Iran.
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures to the media at the presidency office in Tehran in October 2009. AP |
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The US just demonstrated that promises made to the US don't count. The US will accept any BS from even an ally. And breaking promises to the US have no consequences. Bibi's "win" on settlements probably just guaranteed a nuclear armed Iran, if Iran decides so. If a US ally can't be counted on to keep its word, why should an adversary?
The benefit of the deal is not that Iran gives up its LEU. That option does not exist. The deal will be to sell Iran 20% enriched Uranium or the Iranians will enrich it themselves. The Western powers will hem and haw and act angry, yap about nonexistent sanctions, military options they don't have and complain about the evil Iranians. But in the end, they will sell the uranium or Iran's enrichment to 20% will become an irrevocable "fact on the ground."