Tehran, YJC. Seyed Hossein Mousavian says Iran has prepared itself for a nuclear agreement with the Six Major.
Writing in a column in USA Today, Former senior diplomat and spokesman for Iranˈs nuclear negotiators Seyed Hossein Mousavian, scholar at Princeton University, said Iran has fulfilled its nuclear promises and it is time for America to make good on sanctions. The following is the full text of the editorial.
In January, Iran and major powers ended five days of nuclear talks in
Geneva and Paris, including lengthy meetings between U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Negotiators made ˈlimited
progressˈ at nuclear talks, agreed to step up efforts and meet in February.
As it appears, things are moving, and the chances for clinching a final
deal look fairly good. But, only if the two sides can successfully resolve the
two key remaining points of contention: Iranˈs enrichment capacity and the
timetable for lifting sanctions. From the American side, the onus is on Iran.
ˈUnless Supreme Leader Khamenei throws his weight behind the adjustments in
Iranˈs negotiating positions that are necessary to reach a compromise with the
P5+1 countries, there will be no agreement,ˈ as seen by Robert Einhorn, the
former US nuclear negotiator. This doesnˈt say it all though.
Almost everybody, in and out of the negotiating teams, admit that
unprecedented progress has been made in the extremely tough process. As Wendy
Sherman has put it: ˈWe have made impressive progress on issues that originally
seemed intractable.ˈ Secretary Kerryˈs recent remarks are also very much
encouraging: ˈWe have seen new ideas surface, flexibility emerge, that could, I
repeat, could help resolve some issues that had been intractable.ˈ Who should
really get the credit for the flexibilities that have made progress possible?
First, according to the letter and spirit of
the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) agreed between Iran and the world powers in
November 2013, the comprehensive deal would be based on the Non Proliferation
Treaty (NPT), laying out the rights and obligations of parties to the Treaty
and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As stipulated by the NPT and
other relevant international regulations, a treaty party would demonstrate the
maximum level of transparency by implementing the Nuclear Safeguards Agreement which
is obligatory for all NPT members and the Additional Protocol and Subsidiary
Arrangement Code 3.1 — which are voluntary. These three specific arrangements
are the maximum measures the world powers can expect within the NPT. And the
reassuring element in the process is having a clear understanding that Iran
would be ready for such a level of commitment within the final deal. Quite a
substantial flexibility on Iranˈs part and a major contribution towards a final
deal.
Second, based on
credible American reports, Iranˈs willingness to compromise on the following
important elements of its nuclear program for voluntary confidence-building
purposes has been on the table.
Technical
conversions at the Arak heavy water facility to ensure significant reduction in
the plutonium production capability
Re-purposing the
Fordow enrichment facility
Capping the level
of enrichment at 5%
Conversion or
dilution of most of the 20% enriched uranium.
Cooperation with
the IAEA to resolve the Possible Military Dimensions issues (PMDs).
Conversion or
export of the 5% enriched uranium beyond domestic needs.
Foregoing
reprocessing activities at Arak heavy water facilities
Reduction of the
number of operational centrifuges from the current installed 22,000 to around
9,400
Put together, all
the above confidence-building measures — which no other NPT member has ever
undertaken — should be reassuring enough for the world powers on verifiable
transparency for the Iranian program and, more importantly, that the ˈpresumed
paths to the bombˈ are effectively blocked.
Thatˈs the
manifestation of Iranian goodwill, flexibility and compromise, a clear,
unmistakable outcome of the Rouhani administrationˈs outlook and determination,
and the professional performance of the new negotiating team. As best
characterized by the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Jan. 16
at a press conference in Berlin,ˈ since the arrival of Iranˈs present
negotiating team, there came very good progress... talks have already entered a
new decisive phase after one decade of negotiations.ˈ
Every keen observer
of the Iranian scene is fully aware that this progress has enjoyed the blessing
— and explicit open support— of the Supreme Leader. Tehran has already made
good on its resolve to reach a comprehensive, lasting deal.
The onus is now on
the other sides on the two sticky points: Iranˈs enrichment capacity and the
timetable for lifting sanctions. Given that the contract with Russia to provide
fuel for the Bushehr power plant expires in 2021, a 5-7 year limit on the
current operational centrifuges would enable Iran to produce the needed fuel
domestically on time. Will President Obama exhibit the necessary audacity and
decide on the Iranˈs practical enrichment capacity and lifting of the UN, multilateral
and unilateral sanctions before his departure?