OpinionIran in the World PressWill Iran take the next step?

Will Iran take the next step?

-

New York Times: The international community has not had much success trying to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. For years, it was split on how much pressure to apply, and Tehran deftly exploited that division. The New York Times

By CAROL GIACOMO

The international community has not had much success trying to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. For years, it was split on how much pressure to apply, and Tehran deftly exploited that division. Since President Obama took office, the major powers have imposed increasingly strong sanctions aimed at Iran’s banks and oil trade. It is crucial to maintain that cohesion as a second round of negotiations opens this week in Baghdad.

The initial talks in Istanbul last month were encouraging enough for both sides to agree to meet again. This time, Iran will have to offer concrete proposals to address core concerns. It could move significantly toward a solution by suspending all its uranium enrichment activities, which the United Nations Security Council first demanded in 2006. At a minimum, it needs to stop enriching to 20 percent purity (well beyond the 5 percent needed for civilian nuclear programs and a few steps from bomb grade) and to close its Fordo nuclear facility. If Iran does that, the United States and its allies — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — are expected to offer to take the stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium out of the country, fabricate it into fuel rods for Tehran’s medical research reactor and help with safety upgrades to Iran’s civilian nuclear program.

What the Iranians really want, however, is an end to the sanctions, which are wreaking havoc on the economy. They may show just enough flexibility to encourage Russia and China to push to ease punishments prematurely. Tehran has played that game many times before, while plowing ahead with its nuclear program.

If Iran makes credible gestures, sanctions should be eased, but not significantly until it takes irreversible steps to roll back its nuclear activities. The international community must make that clear before the Iranians start making promises.

Latest news

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Iran’s Youths Have Highest Unemployment Rate

The Iranian regime’s Eghtesad News website reported that data from the Statistical Center of Iran shows that the youth...

Must read

Iran, Egypt move to restore diplomatic ties: Salehi

AFP: Iran and Egypt are moving towards restoring diplomatic...

We Must Create Proxy Militias to Fight Iran

Iran Focus London, 7 Nov - No one wants...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you