ALSO IN FRIDAY FORECAST
Deputy FM: “We Know Who Blocked Geneva Deal…and It Wasn’t Us”
Iran Welcomes Obama’s Call for Congress to Resist Further Sanctions
Britain, Iran Ease Relations with “Non-Resident Charge D’Affaires”
Former White House Advisor: Nuclear Tracks Still on Track
In its latest quarterly report, the International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran paused or slowed key parts of its nuclear program as it prepared for high-level talks with the US and other powers.
The IAEA said that, between August and November, Iran had only added four first-generation centrifuges to its stock of thousands for the enrichment of uranium. Tehran had not put any of its second-generation centrifuges, replacing the 40-year-old models currently used, into operation.
Between May to August, Iran put more than 1,800 new centrifuges into its Natanz plant, raising total capacity to 15,240.
The Agency said Iran had only added 10 kilograms of 20% uranium stock, in the form of uranium hexaflouride, since August. The level of 186 kilograms is still well below that which could potentially be used for a single nuclear bomb.
The IAEA also reported that no major new components have been installed at the under-construction Arak heavy-water reactor.
Tehran has had two series of discussions with the 5+1 Powers (US, Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and China) since mid-October. Last weekend, both sides came close to an interim agreement before scheduling more negotiations for November 21-22.
On Monday the IAEA and Iran, in their first agreement since 2007, announced six measures to extend inspections of nuclear facilities, including a uranium mine and the Arak reactor and heavy-water production plant.
The step over Arak may be an attempt to assuage critics of a nuclear deal. They have declared that plutonium, a natural by-product of the reactor, could be used in a militarized program.
Iran: “We Know Who Blocked Geneva Deal…and It Wasn’t Us”
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has thrown another pointed jab at those — such as US Secretary of State John Kerry — who claimed Iran blocked an agreement in the nuclear talks in Geneva last weekend: “[No one can] change the realities that went on there (Geneva), no matter how hard they try.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e Ravanchi echoed, “The Islamic Republic of Iran did not prevent a final deal in Geneva.”
Tehran has said that the objections of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stopped the interim agreement, but Kerry later claimed that it was the Iranians who refused to sign.
Ravanchi, a member of the nuclear negotiating team, said, “We do not want to go into the details of the issues…, but it is clear who ultimately blocked a final agreement.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian was more amenable, “If the other party does not become rapacious, Tehran will respond to positive behavior with a reciprocal positive measure.”
Meanwhile, others were more explicit in blaming America, through France, for blocking a deal.
Tehran MP Hojjat al-Eslam Rouhollah Hosseinian said that “In the recent negotiations, France followed American policies and in actuality a division of labor took shape between France and America.”
National Security and Foreign Policy (NSFP) Parliamentary Commission member and former senior IRGC commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Esmail Kowsari stated “Again this time at the Geneva negotiations, France disrupted the agreement.”
Before this, sometimes the Americans and sometimes the English worked so that the negotiations would not reach a result. However, this time they saw that if America were to do this, it would be put under question. That is why they threw France in front.
Iran Welcomes Obama’s Call for Congress to Resist Further Sanctions
The news that President Obama has urged Congress to resist calls to renew increased sanctions against Iran while negotiations over its nuclear programme are ongoing has been welcomed in Tehran.
Parliament Executive Board member MP Mohammad Dehghan yesterday warned against using sanctions, stating “If Congress seeks to take negotiations to defeat, the Iranian Parliament can also bind the administration to the expansion of nuclear technology.”
Head of the Presidential Cultural Council Hojjat al-Eslam Reza Akrami took a positive line on the negotiations and stressed the need for unity behind the Supreme Leader and the Iranian negotiators.
Akrami declared that “If we want the negotiations to have weightier and better achievements, we must have consensus, unity, and agreement in society towards the leaders, and pursue economic prosperity.”
Britain, Iran Ease Relations with “Non-Resident Charge D’Affaires”
In an easing of diplomatic relations, Iran and Britain have each appointed “non-resident charge d’affaires”.
Each envoy will work from his home capital, although Iran’s representative, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh will travel to London “to investigate the conditions of Iran’s assets and places in Britain and optimize the current activities of the consular section of the Iranian Embassy”, according to Tehran.
Britain’s representative, Ajay Sharma, opened a Twitter account to say he would be “travelling regularly to Tehran”.
Very pleased to have been appointed non-resident Chargé d’affaires to #Iran. Look forward to constructive dialogue on bilateral agenda.
— Ajay Sharma (@AjaySharmaFCO) November 11, 2013
Like to congratulate my Iranian counterpart Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh on his appointment. Lots for us to discuss.
— Ajay Sharma (@AjaySharmaFCO) November 12, 2013
The decision to exchange representative was made after meetings between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and British counterpart William Hague in late September at the United Nations and during high-level nuclear negotiations in Geneva.
Diplomatic links were severely limited after a crowd stormed the British Embassy compound in Tehran in November 2011. Britain withdrew its staff and expelled closed Iran’s embassy and expelled its diplomats in response.
Former White House Advisor: Nuclear Tracks Still on Track
A former White House advisor on non-proliferation, Robert Einhorn, offers an analysis that parallels our own, “Despite The Hiccup In Geneva, Iran Nuclear Talks Still On Track“.
After a full summary of last weekend’s Geneva talks and how they almost but not quite reached an interim agreement, Einhorn assesses:
In reality, the modifications suggested by France and endorsed by the [5+1 Powers] were not major and should not alter Tehran’s calculations of the merits of the emerging deal. Iran’s negotiators need to return to Geneva [on November 21-22] with the necessary flexibility to close on the few remaining issues. And if they need to justify their actions politically at home, they can hardly do better than to advertise [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s characterization of the agreement as the “deal of the century for Iran.