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Journalism of Courage
The six world powers studying Iran’s response to their offer of nuclear negotiations will likely reject Tehran’s terms for talks because they do not refer to the possibility of freezing uranium enrichment, diplomats said on Thursday.
Two senior diplomats who have been briefed on the Iranian response said that the 25-page document from Tehran does not suggest an enrichment moratorium even once negotiations start—and that it includes only a vague reference to a willingness to discuss all aspects of the country’s nuclear programme.
The diplomats asked for anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the Iranian proposal.
They said the reaction among the six powers—France, Germany, Britain, Russia, the United States and China—was one of disappointment and even anger due to the lack of a response to their main demand that Tehran agree to freeze uranium enrichment.
Iran maintains it has offered “positive and clear signals” to resolve the dispute over its nuclear programme, but could face UN sanctions unless it reverses course and agrees to a verifiable halt to enrichment, which can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
One of the diplomats said that the lack of Iranian flexibility on enrichment would likely leave even Russia and China no choice but to ultimately endorse UN sanctions against Iran. Moscow and Beijing previously have steadily put the brakes on US-backed efforts to punish Tehran quickly.
None of the six nations has said outright that the Iranian counteroffer is completely inadequate. But the diplomats’ assessment was consistent with recent remarks by some world leaders.
GEORGE JAHN
