nuclear-news

Time for a historic change – for RESPECT, in Iran nuclear talks

There has been a long, dark history of missed opportunities between Iran and the US in regards to this. In 2003, Tehran offered Washington a deal over issues ranging from security to its nuclear programme – Dick Cheney notoriously responded by saying that “we don’t talk to evil”.

Respect is crucial in nuclear talks with Iran  http://www.guardian.co.uk commentisfree/2012/jun/15/respect-nuclear-talks-iran-p5  At P5+1 talks in Moscow, all sides must learn from past mistakes and recognise that fair exchange should be central to dialogue Hossein Mousavian and Mohammad Ali Shabani guardian.co.uk,   15 June 2012 After a decade, we are nearing an endgame on Iran’s nuclear file. The initial positive atmosphere during Tehran’s talks with the P5+1 (the five members of the UN security council plus Germany) in Istanbul in April had been lost by the next round of talks in Baghdad, in May.

In Istanbul all the players seemed to understand that the most important issue was trust – not the number of centrifuges in the Islamic republic’s possession. This was displayed through the announcement of EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, that negotiations would be held on the basis of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT, which recognises Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes). Such mutual respect must be the basis of any dialogue, and future agreement. Continue reading →

June 16, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Iran insisting on its right to enrich uranium

Tehran’s No. 1 demand for Iran nuclear talks in Moscow, In the buildup to next week’s Iran nuclear talks in Moscow, Tehran has demanded that Western powers formally acknowledge its right to enrich uranium. Christian Science Monitor, By Ariel Zirulnick,   June 14, 2012  Heading into Iran nuclear talks next week, Tehran‘s top demand is that Western powers acknowledge its right to uranium enrichment, reports the Tehran Times. Continue reading →

June 15, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Russia’s Putin backs Iran’s nuclear developments

Putin says Iran has ‘absolute’ right to nuclear energy, Tehran Times, 8 June 12 TEHRAN – President Vladimir Putin calls Iran a close friend of Russia and says Iran has “absolute right” to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In a meeting with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the fringes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Beijing on Thursday, Putin also said, “Russia has always defended the rights of the Iranian nation in all international organizations and considers peaceful use of nuclear energy as the absolute right of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The remarks by Putin come as Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) are preparing to hold nuclear talks in Moscow on June 18-19…. http://tehrantimes.com/politics/98558-putin-says-iran-has-absolute-right-to-nuclear-energy

June 9, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

It looks as if USA and Israel are murdering Iran’s nuclear scientists

The undeclared war on Iran’s nuclear program, PAUL KORING TEHRAN—  Globe and Mail  May. 25, 2012 Over the past 28 months, assassins have targeted at least five Iranians scientists or engineers, men linked by Western intelligence agencies to the country’s controversial nuclear program….

No group or nation has claimed responsibility for any of the attacks on Iranian scientists. The killings are clearly part of a deliberate campaign. Some in the West see them as justified in the broader effort to deny a nuclear arsenal to Iran’s bellicose leaders…… Continue reading →

May 26, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Iran: Cautious moves for compromise on uranium enrichment

U.S., allies may drop demand that Iran completely halt uranium enrichment By Sahar Issa — McClatchy Newspapers, May 23, 2012;  The United States and five other major powers exchanged extensive proposals with Iran on Wednesday over that country’s nuclear program amid signs that the U.S. and its negotiating partners were dropping demands that Iran completely halt the  enrichment of uranium.
Instead, the six powers formally asked Iran to halt enrichment of
uranium to 20 percent purity, a proposal that would allow it to
continue enriching uranium to the 5 percent level Iran says it needs
for electrical power generation.

…….The proposals also contained incentives for Iran, but it wasn’t
clear whether the six powers had offered to ease far-reaching
sanctions that have sharply hurt Iran’s economy or to suspend a cutoff
of purchases of Iranian oil that’s due to go into effect July 1.

Iran, which says that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful
purposes, cautiously welcomed the six-power proposal.

“The ideas fielded to us speak of the fact that the other side would
like to make Baghdad a success,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar
Salehi said in Tehran. “We hope that in a day or two we can bring good
news.”…….http://www.macon.com/2012/05/23/2036306/us-allies-may-drop-demand-that.html

May 26, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Baghdad nuclear talks offer real hope of progress between Iran and world powers

Iran nuclear talks: why optimism could be different this time, Christian Science Monitor, By Howard LaFranchi, Staff writer / May 22, 2012 The meeting in Baghdad will discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The US and some of its partners are speaking more hopefully about prospects for these talks than at almost any point in the past.

The talks that open in Baghdad Wednesday between Iran and six world powers on curbing
Iran’s nuclear program may well determine whether Israel or the US launches airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The talks will also be a factor in the US presidential election this year.

But no one should expect to see Wednesday either a comprehensive agreement addressing more than a decade of concerns about Iran’s nuclear development, or a throwing in of the towel (by either side) that paves the way to war.

The more likely scenario, if the talks go well, is the launching of intensive, virtually constant negotiations, which would suggest that agreement on the key issues important to each side is possible and indeed achievable in some reasonably short time frame, some regional
experts say….. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2012/0522/Iran-nuclear-talks-why-optimism-could-be-different-this-time

May 23, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Iran agrees to let UN inspectors investigate suspected nuclear weapons site

Iran ‘to allow nuclear inspectors’, Herald Sun,  AP May 23, 2012 IRAN has agreed in principle to allow UN inspectors to restart investigations into a suspected nuclear weapons test site.

The tentative accord – announced as envoys headed to the Iraqi capital for negotiations – is likely to be used by Iran as added leverage to seek concessions from the West on sanctions.

But US officials have shown no willingness to shift into bargaining mode so quickly, setting the stage for possible tense moments after talks tentatively set for today resume in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.

Still, Iran’s move raises the pressure on the West for some reciprocal gestures to keep dialogue on track and further highlights Tehran’s apparent aims of opening a long give-and-take process over its nuclear
ambitions.

A major breakthrough in the years-long impasse was not expected in Baghdad, with officials and experts saying both sides will seek to demonstrate enough progress to keep the process moving forward…..http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/iran-signals-wider-un-access/story-fn6s850w-1226364055809

May 23, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment