Iran hints it could halt nuclear enrichment for a quid pro quo

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Iran hints it could halt nuclear enrichment for a quid pro quo
Matthew Schofield | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: November 23, 2007 05:30:00 PM

VIENNA, Austria — Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday that his country could suspend uranium enrichment if the United States and Western Europe agreed to acknowledge that its nuclear program was peaceful.

But Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said there was a "serious confidence gap" between his country and the United States and Western Europe and that he saw little point in trying to "build confidence" with an American administration that had none in his country.

"We don't trust the United States," he told McClatchy Newspapers after the IAEA Board of Governors finished its latest round of talks on Iran's nuclear program. "We could suspend nuclear enrichment. We did it before for two and half years. But it wasn't enough then, and wouldn't be enough now. We will not suspend enrichment again because there is no end to what the United States will demand."

Diplomats said Soltanieh's remarks reflected what he'd been saying in private. "Iran is willing to deal," one said. "But they've made it clear there would have to be a quid pro quo, and they don't believe that's possible." The diplomats said they couldn't be quoted by name because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/22026.html

bomb Iran. This ain't gonna stop 'em.

I feel really really bad for all those Iranians..just like I felt so bad for all the Iraqis who were going to get bombed. Unlike our politicians who could give a good gawddamn shit.

and the current administration would not talk to a theocratic nation. That seems to me to be just plain stupid, but it's the kind of reaction I've come to expect of this administration.

yup. thats it in a nutshell. bush will have war.

...of an offer they made to the UN a few years ago, that they would halt they're nuclear program in entirety, if the US agreed to leave them alone, and cut out the aggressive rhetoric. Yet the media paints THEM as unreasonable.

... As with Iraq, there's really nothing they can do -- the decision's been made.

at least it makes one thing clear:

All that bullshit about how they needed nuclear energy for peaceful purposes was really bullshit. If they're willing to throw away a "necessity" like energy for the future, then it really wasn't necessary. They were playing politics with the nuclear card. That hurts their credibility, because they argued that developing nuclear energy was a crucial goal of the Islamic Republic, and that it was for peaceful purposes.

They're talking about halting enriching uranium, not stopping development of nuclear power. Earlier proposals had them purchasing enriched fuel grade uranium from Russia instead of producing it themselves, but they still wanted to reserved the right to enrich it themselves which the US refused to accept. You do understand the difference between fuel grade and weapons grade uranium?

I didn't read that aspect more closely. Thank you for the observation.

Their oil isn't going to last for ever, so it's obvious to see why they would want nuclear energy. They want Nukes for the same rason so many other countries got nukes, to keep from being invaded. That's not to say I support them getting nukes, I think nuclear weapons should be totally abolished and the first step in doing that is to keep any more countries from getting nukes.

Don't be so swift to dismiss Iran's energy needs, as the best estimates are that their oil will run out in 15 or 20 years. They have no refinery's to make gas and no way to get them. However, I have no sympathy for them as they have had plenty of time to make their country better and failed. My proposal has been for us to build, for free an immense solar power plant in what is useless desert there. We agree to train their people in the building and maintenance of this facility, and just give it to them. much cheaper then war and nobody dies, plus we gain knowledge in how to build the plants that we will have to build here anyway. Case closed.

Have a similar deal with Iran, like they have with North Korea.

Of course, as the W crowd are involved....common sense and logic don't apply with regard to Iran....it's ALL about sabre rattling to the point of getting to Bombs Away time.