Report: Iran Being Offered New Proposal
NEW YORK (Dispatches) -- The United States is floating a new idea in order to achieve a breakthrough in renewed negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
According to The New York Times, under the proposed deal Iran would be allowed to keep the 19,000 centrifuges but the pipes leading to the machines would be cut off, preventing the uranium from reaching them.
"That way, the Iranians could claim they have not given in to Western demands that they eliminate all but a token number of their 19,000 machines, in which Iran has invested billions of dollars and tremendous national pride," according to the NYT.
Talks between Iran and the six world powers resumed Friday in New York. It was the first meeting between Iran and P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany -- since July, when they decided to extend the deadline for a deal to November 24.
Negotiators said in advance that there are major hurdles to overcome, but that holding the talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly would allow for some high-powered diplomacy to come into play.
A ministerial-level meeting of the P5+1 with Iran is expected next week and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif.
The talks, which are to continue until the end of the week and the pressure is on both sides to find ways to narrow the gaps.
One major hurdle to the face-saving proposal over the centrifuges emerged Friday with a letter from 31 Republicans senators to Kerry.
The GOP senators want Kerry to say definitively whether he would accept disconnecting centrifuges and whether he would agree to other concessions, like allowing the Arak heavy water reactor to continue functioning or signing a deal that expires in only a few years.
Meanwhile, western media claimed Iran was ready to work with the United States and its allies to stop ISIL militants, but would like to see more flexibility on Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Iran wields influence in the Syrian war and on the Iraqi government, which is fighting the advance of ISIL extremists.
But Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who has the ultimate say on all state matters, said recently that he vetoed a U.S. overture to the Islamic Republic to work together on defeating ISIL.
"Iran is a very influential country in the region and can help in the fight against the ISIL terrorists ... but it is a two-way street. You give something, you take something,” Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official on condition of anonymity.
"ISIL is a threat to world security, not our (nuclear) program, which is a peaceful program,” the official added.
Another Iranian official echoed the remarks, Reuters said. Both officials said they would like the United States and its Western allies to show flexibility on the number of atomic centrifuges Tehran could keep under any long-term deal that would lift sanctions in exchange for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear program.
"Both sides can show flexibility that will lead to an acceptable number for everyone,” another Iranian official said.
Western officials said that Iran has not raised this idea in nuclear negotiations with the P5+1. Diplomats close to the talks say they are unlikely to settle in New York on a long-term accord that would lift sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iranian nuclear work.
The New York talks among senior foreign ministry officials from the six powers and Iran are taking place on the sidelines of this week’s annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.
U.S. officials have made clear for months that the number of centrifuges they are willing to tolerate operating in Iran over the medium term would be in the low thousands.
Iran says such draconian limitations would be a violation of its right to enrich. Ayatollah Khamenei has called that issue a "red line” for Tehran.
Under a November 2013 interim deal, Iran froze some parts of its nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
That agreement was intended to buy time for negotiations on a comprehensive deal that end the decade-long standoff with Iran.
On Sunday, Iran's Majlis speaker Ali Larijani called on the Western countries to avoid adopting an opportunistic approach to the ongoing negotiations with six world powers on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
"The U.S. and the West should not follow a business-type mentality in the nuclear talks while...a logical approach can create peace and tranquility in the Middle East region,” Larijani told reporters.
He described Iran’s nuclear program as "transparent,” noting that the Islamic Republic has been "generous” in the nuclear talks by allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete its inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities.
Larijani recommended the six world powers to avoid "haggling" in nuclear talks, noting that no new framework should be sought in dealing with Iran's nuclear program.
He added that the six world powers should not lose time in reaching a permanent deal with Iran over its nuclear program.
"That way, the Iranians could claim they have not given in to Western demands that they eliminate all but a token number of their 19,000 machines, in which Iran has invested billions of dollars and tremendous national pride," according to the NYT.
Talks between Iran and the six world powers resumed Friday in New York. It was the first meeting between Iran and P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany -- since July, when they decided to extend the deadline for a deal to November 24.
Negotiators said in advance that there are major hurdles to overcome, but that holding the talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly would allow for some high-powered diplomacy to come into play.
A ministerial-level meeting of the P5+1 with Iran is expected next week and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif.
The talks, which are to continue until the end of the week and the pressure is on both sides to find ways to narrow the gaps.
One major hurdle to the face-saving proposal over the centrifuges emerged Friday with a letter from 31 Republicans senators to Kerry.
The GOP senators want Kerry to say definitively whether he would accept disconnecting centrifuges and whether he would agree to other concessions, like allowing the Arak heavy water reactor to continue functioning or signing a deal that expires in only a few years.
Meanwhile, western media claimed Iran was ready to work with the United States and its allies to stop ISIL militants, but would like to see more flexibility on Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Iran wields influence in the Syrian war and on the Iraqi government, which is fighting the advance of ISIL extremists.
But Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who has the ultimate say on all state matters, said recently that he vetoed a U.S. overture to the Islamic Republic to work together on defeating ISIL.
"Iran is a very influential country in the region and can help in the fight against the ISIL terrorists ... but it is a two-way street. You give something, you take something,” Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official on condition of anonymity.
"ISIL is a threat to world security, not our (nuclear) program, which is a peaceful program,” the official added.
Another Iranian official echoed the remarks, Reuters said. Both officials said they would like the United States and its Western allies to show flexibility on the number of atomic centrifuges Tehran could keep under any long-term deal that would lift sanctions in exchange for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear program.
"Both sides can show flexibility that will lead to an acceptable number for everyone,” another Iranian official said.
Western officials said that Iran has not raised this idea in nuclear negotiations with the P5+1. Diplomats close to the talks say they are unlikely to settle in New York on a long-term accord that would lift sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iranian nuclear work.
The New York talks among senior foreign ministry officials from the six powers and Iran are taking place on the sidelines of this week’s annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly.
U.S. officials have made clear for months that the number of centrifuges they are willing to tolerate operating in Iran over the medium term would be in the low thousands.
Iran says such draconian limitations would be a violation of its right to enrich. Ayatollah Khamenei has called that issue a "red line” for Tehran.
Under a November 2013 interim deal, Iran froze some parts of its nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
That agreement was intended to buy time for negotiations on a comprehensive deal that end the decade-long standoff with Iran.
On Sunday, Iran's Majlis speaker Ali Larijani called on the Western countries to avoid adopting an opportunistic approach to the ongoing negotiations with six world powers on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
"The U.S. and the West should not follow a business-type mentality in the nuclear talks while...a logical approach can create peace and tranquility in the Middle East region,” Larijani told reporters.
He described Iran’s nuclear program as "transparent,” noting that the Islamic Republic has been "generous” in the nuclear talks by allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete its inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities.
Larijani recommended the six world powers to avoid "haggling" in nuclear talks, noting that no new framework should be sought in dealing with Iran's nuclear program.
He added that the six world powers should not lose time in reaching a permanent deal with Iran over its nuclear program.