Ahmadinejad: lift sanctions to boost Iran nuclear talks
| Istanbul
The glacier that is Iran鈥檚 nuclear talks with world powers moved an inch forward in Geneva on Tuesday, with an agreement to meet again in Istanbul by the end of January.
But the first face-to-face discussions in 14 months between Iran and major world powers concerned about its nuclear program yielded little else but an airing of views, according to Iran鈥檚 chief negotiator.
The 鈥渙nly outcome," Saeed Jalili stressed, was agreement on the eight words that will be the framework for the next meeting: 鈥淭alks based on cooperation to find common ground.鈥�
And yet within moments of the conclusion of the talks in Geneva, it was clear that Iran鈥檚 broad interpretation of the contents of the next round 鈥� sweeping up everything from Israel鈥檚 undeclared nuclear arsenal to 鈥渆fforts鈥� by unnamed countries to 鈥渕onopolize鈥� resources and power 鈥� was at odds with that of the P5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany).
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, the host of the talks, described the outcome in terms of Iran鈥檚 nuclear program 鈥� the top concern of several members of the P5+1, which believe that Iran鈥檚 energy plans mask a drive for a nuclear weapon.
鈥淲e recognize Iran鈥檚 rights [to nuclear power], but insist it fulfills its obligations,鈥� Ms. Ashton said. In Istanbul, 鈥渨e plan to discuss practical ideas and ways of cooperating toward the resolution of our full concerns about the nuclear issue.鈥�
Standing pat on sanctions
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that lifting the array of UN, American, EU and other sanctions against Iran would boost future talks, though no P5+1 diplomat has even hinted that would be possible.
鈥淚f you come to the negotiations by canceling all the nasty things and wrong decisions that you have adopted 鈥� lift resolutions, sanctions and some restrictions that you have created 鈥� then the talks will definitely be fruitful,鈥� Mr. Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Arak, a city in central Iran.
Mr. Jalili made clear that Iran鈥檚 uranium enrichment would 鈥渁bsolutely not鈥� be up for discussion in Istanbul. Four UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions have imposed sanctions and demanded that Iran stop the process 鈥� which is used to make reactor fuel, or if refined to much higher levels can be used in a weapon 鈥� until it proves its work is peaceful.
Instead, in a press conference after the meeting, Jalili stuck to longstanding talking points about the need to reshape global politics.
Jalili questioned the scale of other nuclear arsenals and said it was 鈥渄isgraceful鈥� that the listing of nuclear scientists for sanctions by the UNSC had, he claimed, led to the assassination of one scientist and the wounding of another in two Tehran bomb attacks last week. Beside Jalili at the podium was a portrait of Majid Shahriari, the dead scientist, with a strip of black cloth in the upper left corner.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get anywhere on substance,鈥� one official of the P5+1 told the Associated Press. 鈥淚t was an exchange of views.鈥�
The AP also quoted a senior American official, who said: 鈥淥ur expectations for these talks were low, and they were never exceeded.鈥� Reuters quoted a US official saying the talks were 鈥渄ifficult and candid,鈥� and that Iran suspending enrichment was still P5+1 policy.
Neither side mentioned a nuclear fuel swap deal backed by the US and once offered in October 2009. It was finally brokered by Brazil and Turkey with Iran last May. It was dismissed as inadequate then by the P5+1, given Iran鈥檚 continued rate of enrichment.
Jalili warned that Western focus on 鈥渇abricated issues鈥� 鈥� he did not explicitly mention the concerns about Iran鈥檚 nuclear program 鈥� should not be allowed to 鈥渄ivert鈥� attention from 鈥渞eal concerns.鈥�
The secretary-general of Iran鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council 鈥� without naming the Americans or EU 鈥� criticized the dual-track policy now favored by the Obama administration of holding talks while also raising pressure on Iran through sanctions and other means.
Such talks under pressure 鈥渨ere not talks anymore,鈥� Jalili said. 鈥淒ictators dictate, and talks befit civilized people.鈥� Continued use of such a dual-track policy meant talks were 鈥渄oomed to fail.鈥� Likewise, Jalili added, 鈥渨hen some sides resort to assassination and terrorism, this tells me their logic is weak and lacking.鈥�
