Iran nuclear talks: a hard nut to crack

There have been positive signs prior to the talks but obstacles remain in the trust building process in order to work out a long-term strategy to improve relations between Iran and the West.

The 2-day talks will focus on details of Iran’s proposal concerning the uranium enrichment program Tehran has been pursuing for years. Iran is willing to end its 20% uranium enrichment, limit its 5% uranium enrichment, reduce the number of operating centrifuges and the capacity of controversial nuclear facilities.

Iran is also ready to allow UN inspectors to pay unannounced visits to its nuclear facilities. In return, Iran is urging the international community to lift its sanctions.

Positive signs

Prior to the talks, Iran showed its good will and seriousness in seeking a comprehensive solution to its nuclear program. Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator Mohammad Javad Zarif on November 6 said he hoped involved parties would work together for a common goal and that Iran is ready to play a new role in the international arena.

Earlier, Director Salehi of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Tehran’s unconditional willingness to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve pending issues concerning its nuclear program.

The US has announced that it is waiting for concrete action by Iran before loosening its sanctions. The White House is considering allowing Iran to disburse billions of US dollars frozen in banks. This plan involves lifting a number of short-term sanctions on Tehran.

Obstacles to reach the finish line

There are many obstacles on the way to reaching a comprehensive diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear issues. The biggest hurdle is the lack of consensus within the US Congress. While the Obama administration has a moderate policy towards Iran, many US congressmen remain skeptical of the good will of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration.

The US House of Representatives has even passed measures to tighten the oil embargo against Iran. It has urged Obama to negotiate with maximum caution and said that Washington should apply new sanctions to increase the pressure on Iran. US congressmen also confirmed that military action is under consideration and said US sanctions should continue.

The reaction of US allies is another obstacle. Israel and Saudi Arabia say Washington has been hasty. The Israeli government remains skeptical of Iran’s good will. Israel says that Iran still pursues its nuclear program and Iranian officials are deceiving the West in order to loosen the sanctions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that in just a couple of weeks Iran will be capable of producing 90% of the uranium it needs to produce a nuclear bomb. He has asked that the UN Security Council take a tougher stance to guarantee that Tehran will not have the materials to produce nuclear bombs. Tel Aviv has even asked for the right to launch air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities for national security reason.

According to analysts, Israel’s attitude will be a major factor in resolving the Iran nuclear issue. Even without the support of its allies, Israel may unilaterally attack Iran and this will jeopardize international efforts to resolve the Iran nuclear issue peacefully.

It is undeniable that both the US and Iran want to boost nuclear negotiations in their own interest. This new round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 will be an opportunity to build trust, which is a step towards improving relations between Teheran and the rest of the world.

However, the public remains skeptical of a breakthrough and mistrust between the US and Iran will not be given up overnight.