Under intense pressure from hardliners at home, Zarif said in an interview on Monday that Iran could accept a deal that essentially freezes its capacity to produce nuclear fuel at current levels for several years, provided it is then treated like any other nation with a peaceful nuclear program. “We want to produce only what we need,” he said. “Since our reactor doesn’t need fuel for another seven years we don’t have to kill ourselves for it. We have time.” The proposal, which Iran said was conveyed to the United States and five other world powers during closed-door negotiating sessions in Vienna, would effectively extend a limited series of concessions Iran made last November as part of a temporary deal to get negotiations started on a permanent accord. In return, Iran wants sanctions easing. “I’m not here to present maximalist positions,” Zarif said in the interview. “We’re here to reach an agreement.” Zarifs compromise entails Iran to convert most of the nuclear fuel it produces into a form of fuel that cannot be used as a weapon, and also forgo the construction of a facility that converts the fuel into bomb-grade fuel. Asked about his proposals, a senior administration official involved in the talks, said: “Some of the things described in this interview they have put forward in negotiations. Some have not come up. And on some, they’ve shown more flexibility behind closed doors.”
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 07:17:00 +0000
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