Multilateral negotiations with Iran closed today as mounting divisions appeared to rule out an immediate deal allowing three world powers to manage Iranian uranium that could be converted into nuclear-weapon material, Reuters reported (see GSN, Oct. 19; Mark Heinrich, Reuters I/Washington Post, Oct. 20).
(Oct. 20) -
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks at a news conference in Tehran today. Mottaki said his country would not accept French participation in a potential deal involving the transfer of Iranian low-enriched uranium to other countries for further refinement (Getty Images).
Iran indicated this week that it does not want France to participate in a potential agreement to supply fuel for a medical research reactor in Tehran, the Associated Press reported.
News of the development came in the second day of talks in which France, Russia and the United States aimed to finalize a deal to convert much of Iran's low-enriched uranium into fuel for the research reactor. Tehran, which maintains that its low-enriched uranium is strictly intended for use in nuclear power plants, hinted yesterday that it would refuse to send its uranium abroad and would only buy additional material from other countries.
Iran's refusal to deal with France produced the stalemate that forced the talks into recess today, diplomats said (George Jahn, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Oct. 20).
"The IAEA contacted some countries and the United States and Russia accepted to participate in the negotiations to supply the fuel," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said today, according to Agence France-Presse.
"The negotiations will be conducted with these two countries in the presence of the agency. We do not need a lot of fuel and we do not need the presence of many countries. There is no need for France to be present," Mottaki said.
France "did not live up to its previous obligations regarding nuclear cooperation with Iran," said an Iranian source with ties to the nation's nuclear negotiators, according to state media.
"[France] does not have an acceptable record and ... it also obstructed the negotiations between Iran and the IAEA," the source added (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Oct. 20).
The sides considered a compromise proposal, prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency, that would allow France to carry out activities for the agreement under contract with Russia. Iran did not offer its position on the proposal as the meeting was scheduled to resume, though; Tehran's top envoy to the session was later sighted leaving the IAEA headquarters, where the talks were taking place.
"Consultations are continuing with the delegations involved," Iranian Ambassador to the U.N. nuclear watchdog Ali Asghar Soltanieh said, giving no details.
Diplomats are expected in private meetings to address additional details of a deal to transfer Iran's uranium, including how much of the material would be send abroad and in what increments (Heinrich, Reuters I).
Mottaki today also reaffirmed Tehran's refusal to negotiate away its civilian nuclear power capabilities, Reuters reported. The United States and other Western powers have long sought a permanent halt to Iran's uranium enrichment program, an effort that can produce nuclear power plant fuel but also nuclear-weapon material.
"The meetings with world powers and their behavior shows that Iran's right to have peaceful nuclear technology has been accepted by them. ... Iran will never abandon its legal and obvious right," Mottaki said.
"We see serious development in the talks ... the continuation of talks can lead to a deal over supplying Iran with the 20 percent enriched uranium," he said, referring to fuel required for the Tehran research reactor. Weapon-grade uranium must have an enrichment level around 90 percent.
"What we want is our right based on the [Nuclear] Nonproliferation Treaty. It says the member countries should be supplied with nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes by those members that have the fuel," the official added (Reuters II/Washington Post, Oct. 20).
Iran is expected next week to hold additional nuclear talks with the five permanent U.N. Security Council member nations and Germany, diplomats told Deutsche Presse-Agentur today (Deutsche Presse-Agentur/Monsters and Critics, Oct. 20).
Meanwhile, a prominent Iranian political dissident expressed concern that his nation's burgeoning opposition movement could be undermined by a nuclear compromise between Tehran and Western powers, the London Times reported today.
“We are concerned that the West will betray us -- and its own principles of liberty, democracy and human rights,” said the Iranian academic, who has played a significant role in Iran's "Green" movement.
A reduction in nuclear tensions could strengthen the Iranian government's hand against its domestic opponents, the opposition figure said after leaving the country.
“How can you rely on any promises and pledges made by a government that not only stole the June election, has not only killed and raped its own citizens, but also has consistently hidden major parts of the nuclear program?" he said (Martin Fletcher, London Times, Oct. 20).
Elsewhere, a former deputy commander of the U.S. European Command suggested that Washington would probably support an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites, Haaretz reported.
"I don't think Israel can do it alone," retired Gen. Charles Wald said. "They have a fantastic military, but not big enough for weeks or months of attacks -- hundreds of sorties per day."
If Jerusalem opted to carry out airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, "pressure will mount for us to stand by Israel," Wald said.
Addressing former U.S. national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski's suggestion that the United States could fire upon Israeli aircraft flying toward Iran over Iraq, Wald said: "The chance of that is zero -- no, less than zero" (Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz, Oct. 20).