Showing posts with label IAEA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IAEA. Show all posts

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Added Tension with Iran


Just to recap and provide a little information about the implications of the IAEA plan regarding Iran's nuclear program here's a video! The video is from CNN. This is Mohamed ElBaradei's, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, remarking on how Iran's views the proposed nuclear plan. He also says that this plan would help ease tensions with Iran and the US.



There still has not been an official statement from Iran regarding the deal created by the IAEA with the help of the US and other countries that would propose Iran to send most of its uranium to other countries in order to be enriched. Repeatedly the United States has urged Iran to accept this deal. This proposal is meant to build trust between Iran and the United States because it would ensure the US what sort and the amount of uranium Iran is receiving. This delay has caused leaders to question Iran's intention for the future of its Nuclear Program. But there is another side to Iran nuclear program other than nuclear energy. Just recently there has been a report stating that Iran is experimenting with nuclear warheads, called a "two-point implosion" device. The IAEA is questioning how Iran obtained the details to build such a device. This only adds greater tension to Iran's diplomatic future. Some may want to use military action on Iran, but this will not help in the long run. If there is evidence suggesting that there is an immanent threat from Iran, then military action might be an option, but for the time being the best thing to do is to increase negotiations and connections with Iran.

However, the future of negotiations might come to a stand still. In Iran there are many internal conflicts that are getting in the way of decision making (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/05/AR2009110504439_pf.html). There is tension in Iranian politics, on both sides, arguing how President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should engage with the West regarding Iran's nuclear program (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/middleeast/03iran.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast). There are some politicians in Iran who wants Ahmadinejad to have a tougher stance with the West, while the potential to improve relations with the United States is on the line. Iran's delay in answering does not give Iran a positive light on how it may react in future negotiations. The US needs to firm with its goals of Iran's nuclear program, but the US needs to do it in a respectable way and should understanding Iran's wishes. But in order to achieve transparency and truthfulness regarding Iran's nuclear program, goals must be accomplished. The United States must remain positive, but should not slack on its goal of achieving a respectable and constructive relationship with Iran.


Saturday, October 24, 2009

Talks with Iran


On October 19th, Iran went to a meeting in Vienna held by the International Atomic Energy Agency with France, Russian, and US officials. Iran and the other countries discussed a plan that deals with the enrichment of Iran's uranium. In these talks the IAEA and the countries devised a plan that would allow Iran to send its uranium to be enriched to Russia, and after enriching the uranium Russia would send it to France who would convert the uranium into special fuel rods (The Times, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6888029.ece) . This allows Iran to have the necessary enriched uranium for a reactor but not enough to build a nuclear weapon. Iran was expected to reply to this plan by Friday, October 23rd. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton believed that Iran should act quickly and not delay with these deals. She also hoped that these talks and future talks will improve the relationship between Iran and the United States. But recently Iran delayed its response on this proposed IAEA plan. Instead of approving this plan, Iran created its own plan. Iran proposed that it will be allowed for Iran to purchase enriched uranium from other countries. Stalling this agreement with the IAEA could hinder future talks with Iran. Is the way the United States is negotiating with Iran constructive? It is a nice start that US is open to talks with Iran, allowing a new period of engagement with Iran. But as Iran is delaying responses to its nuclear program, it is putting a strain on the US gradually building its trust with Iran. Currently, Iran is delaying plans on its nuclear program, which is making the negotiating process even longer. There needs to be a slight alteration in the US strategy on negotiations with Iran. The US cannot continue its current course of negotiations when Iran is delaying time. Being negative towards Iran will not help the current situation, but being too open towards Iran would not help the situation either.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/19/world/international-uk-iran-nuclear-fuel.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8318258.stm