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Iran Agrees to EU Demand for Nuke Freeze -Diplomats

Sun Nov 14, 2004 12:36 PM ET

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment program in an attempt to ease concerns that its nuclear program is aimed at developing atomic weapons, a Western diplomat close to the United Nations said on Sunday.

The diplomat said Iran had not yet taken the crucial step of formally informing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the scope and starting date for its suspension, which will make the freeze a binding commitment for the Islamic republic.

"A deal for a full suspension is done but the IAEA has not received a letter confirming it. That's also important that they would have a look at that and see what they (Iran) signed on to," the diplomat told Reuters.

Several other diplomats confirmed the deal, though none were able to confirm any specifics about the scope and duration of the freeze.

This announcement comes after weeks of negotiations between Iran and the European Union's "big three" states -- France, Britain and Germany -- and one day before the United Nations releases a crucial report on its two-year investigation of Tehran's nuclear program.

Once confirmed by IAEA inspectors on the ground, this suspension by Iran will almost certainly protect it from being reported to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions when the IAEA board of governors meets on Nov. 25.

Washington, which accuses Iran of using its nuclear program as a front to develop nuclear weapons, wants the IAEA to refer the case to the Security Council because Tehran concealed a uranium enrichment program for 18 years.

Diplomats in Tehran said that ambassadors from the EU big three were meeting with Hassan Rohani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, to discuss the suspension.

"We have reviewed all the details and made our decision and Rohani will inform the ambassadors of our decision," Rohani's deputy, Hossein Mousavian, told the semi-official Mehr news agency.

US, Israel fighting undeclared war on Islam: Iranian supreme leader

(AFP)
14 November 2004

TEHERAN - The United States and Israel are engaged in an “undeclared war against Islam” which has overshadowed the month of Ramadan, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in an Eid sermon on Sunday.

“The pillars of world oppression have launched an undeclared war against Islam,” Khamenei told a huge audience in central Tehran, using one of the regime’s favoured attributes for the US and Israel.

“For all of those who observed the fasting, Ramadan became a month of mourning because of the tragic events in Palestine and Iraq,” he said in his sermon marking the end of the holy month and the Eid Al Fitr celebrations.

“Every day during the fasting, Palestinians continued to give their lives as martyrs and the Iraqi people continued to suffer immense difficulties.”

But Iran’s all-powerful guide asserted that “we see the signs of resistance across the Muslim world and the Palestinian people are at the forefront of this resistance.”

Iran celebrated Eid one day later than most of its neighbours. Late on Saturday Khamenei’s office published a statement saying the new moon had been sighted, meaning the end of the fasting month.

But unlike last year, there was no confusion over when the fasting should end. A year ago, some clerics said they spotted the moon a day earlier than the official announcement.

To remove problems this year, Khamenei decreed that ”technological aid” -- such as a telescope – could be used in spotting the moon, removing some of the difficulties involved in using the naked eye.

Threatened with UN sanctions, Iran bows to demands for nuclear suspension

AFP: 11/14/2004

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran agreed to suspend "nearly all" of its uranium enrichment-related activities as part of a deal with Britain, France and Germany in a step that eases the threat of possible UN sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme.

"We have agreed to suspend nearly all activities related to enrichment," top national security official and nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani said after late-night talks with the ambassadors of the three European Union states.

"What we have accepted virtually corresponds with what was demanded of us in the resolution" adopted in September by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rowhani said.

Diplomats at the IAEA in Vienna confirmed the UN`s nuclear watchdog had received an official letter from Iran confirming the suspension.

A close aide to Rowhani, Hossein Moussavian, said the suspension would remain in force while Iran and the European Union negotiated a long-term cooperation accord. He said these negotiations would start on December 15.

"The suspension is valid for the duration of the negotiations," he told reporters. "This is the beginning of the normalisation of Iran`s dossier at the IAEA."

He said Iran had bowed to demands that it suspend not only enrichment itself, but also activities related to it -- converting raw uranium into the feed gas for enrichment at a uranium conversion facility in Isfahan and making centrifuges used to enrich.

The EU`s "Big Three" have been engaged in tough negotiations with Iran since October in a bid to convince the Islamic republic`s clerical regime to stay in line with demands from the IAEA as it presses on with a two-year-old investigation.

While Iran insists it only wants to make fuel for a nuclear reactor to generate electricity, there are fears that once the fuel cycle has been mastered the Islamic republic could choose to enrich its uranium to weapons-grade levels.

The UN watchdog has uncovered some activities deemed suspicious, but has not uncovered a "smoking gun" that proves Iran is seeking weapons of mass destruction.

The IAEA has been waiting for Iran`s response to be able to incorporate it in a report to members ahead of a November 25 session of the agency`s 35-nation board of governors.

The meeting will decide on US-led calls for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. Both the United States and Israel charge that Iran`s bid to generate atomic energy is merely a cover for a covert weapons drive.

But many states, including veto-wielding Security Council members China and Russia, have been resisting sending the dossier to New York -- fearing such a step would merely spark an Iranian pull-out from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and an end to inspections.

Top Iranian officials have threatened to halt tough inspections if the dossier was sent to New York.

And with the crises in Iraq and between Israel and the Palestinians raging on, few diplomats have shown the appetite for yet another confrontation in the Middle East.

But nevertheless, Britain, France and Germany had warned they would back the US hard line if Iran fails to tell the IAEA that it agrees to a full suspension.

The carrots the EU are said to be offering Iran are civilian nuclear technology, including access to nuclear fuel and a light-water research reactor, increased trade and help with Tehran`s regional security concerns.

Iran has consistently refused to halt its fuel cycle work, saying such activities for peaceful purposes are the right of any signatory of the NPT.

11/14/2004 - 19:28 GMT - AFP

I don't think it is a coincidence that Iran is now backing down and saying they'll bow to pressure to suspend their Nuclear Program. I believe the PRINCIPLE reason is that GWB was re-elected. Had Kerry been elected, they wouldn't have caved ... assuming they've actually caved and are not just lying.

London based exiled Iranian satellite TV Host Condemned to Death

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Nov 15, 2004

The Islamic republic has issued a death sentence against "Forood Fooladvand", an Iranian satellite TV host, exiled in Britain. The death sentence has been published in the form of an article in one of the latest issues of the notorious Kayhan Daily of Tehran.

Fooladvand's alleged 'crime' has been declared as "insulting Islam and its prophet".

A historian and political researcher, speaking several languages including Arabic, Fooladvand is also the host of radical daily programs broadcasted worldwide on the satellite "Television e Shoma" (Your TV). He's the writer of several articles and books on Islam and the Arab invasion of Iran which have been published following his defection in the early 80's.

A cinematographer, he was sent to produce a governmental financed movie on the return of Rooh-Ollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic regime, but preferred to join the opposition as soon as exiting Iran. Living several years in Cairo under the late Anvar Al-Sadat regime, he was producing daily radio programs against the newly born theocracy before leaving for Britain few years later.

Since then, he has become an outspoken critic of Islam and an increasing danger for the Mullhacracy, which sees in him the incarnation of Devil and someone who's jeopardizing the ideological basis of the theocratic regime by 'disseminating doubt about Islam and its origins and legacy'. His death sentence follows this month's barbaric murder of "Theo Van Gogh", a Dutch filmmaker critic of Islam abuses and its ideology of promoting gender apartheid.

Tens of other Iranian dissidents have been assassinated outside Iran following such death sentences. Their murderes were often able to escape from 'friendly' countries, such as France, Germany and Austria, in a total impunity.

Tens of thousands of others have been also executed by the Islamic republic regime for their believes qualified as contrary to Islam and its first new government on the Earth. Some of them were officially qualified as "Apostate" by the dogmatic clerical regime.

In addition, several other critics of Islam, such as, the Iranian researchers "Ali Dashti" and "Koorosh Aryamanesh", as well as, "Hitoshi Igarashi" the Japanese translator of the "The Satanic Verses", written by the still condemned to death "Salman Rushdie", have been killed or slaughtered for their works.

In July 1991, "Ettore Capriolo", the Italian translator of The Satanic Verses, is beaten up and attacked with a knife in his Milan flat by a man who says he's Iranian. In October 1993, "William Nygaard", the director of Rushdie's book's Norwegian publishers, is shot three times and seriously wounded outside his Oslo home.

"Kill the infidels!" has been clearly stipulated in the Koran.

It's to note that Kayhan daily is under the management of the fanatic and pro-terror "Hossein Shariatmadari" who's well known for his responsibilities in the deaths of several Iranian dissidents. The latter has close ties to the regime's supreme leader and is an intelligence officer and a former torturer identified by several dissidents who have escaped from the Islamic regime's penitentiary system.

Fooladvand has declared 'his readiness to die' and believes to have been relatively successful to carry his mission and to show what he qualifies as the 'true face of Islam'.

His website which is broadcasting live his programs and his contact references are as follow: http://83.170.75.66 ; Phone: +44/208/441-1179 ; Fax: +44/208/440-9174

Iran ready to abandon nuclear ambitions for EU trade deals

From Rory Watson in Brussels

RELATIONS between Iran and the European Union could soon be placed on a new footing after Tehran signalled that it had agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme that critics fear was leading to the development of nuclear weapons.

The move comes after months of confidential negotiations between Iran and the EU’s “big three” — Britain, France and Germany — and just days before the International Atomic Energy Agency is due to meet in Vienna.

If Iran had failed to freeze the programme, the agency’s board of governors was poised to report the dispute to the United Nations Security Council on November 25. That would open the door to possible economic sanctions against a country that President Bush has branded as a member of the “axis of evil”.

Iran has always denied American accusations that it is building nuclear weapons. But although a tentative agreement was reached in Paris a week ago, Iran had held up a deal by demanding it be allowed to continue the early stages of uranium conversion. The EU rejected the suggestion.

Despite the apparent change of heart in Tehran, western governments are still reluctant to confirm that the nuclear programme has been fully suspended. “A deal for a full suspension is done, but the agency has not received a letter confirming it. It’s also important that they would have a look at that and see what they signed up to,” one diplomat said.

European foreign ministers will have an opportunity to examine Tehran’s latest commitments in Brussels at the beginning of next week. They will hope for confirmation of the suspension by then. If it comes, the politicians will see it as vindication of the EU’s twin-track stick and carrot approach. This has involved pressure on Tehran to improve its human rights record and to abandon nuclear weapons ambitions.

At the same time, the EU has been offering the prospect of a trade agreement that would give Iranian exports privileged access to the EU market.

Iran Gives Pledge on Uranium, but Europeans Are Cautious

By ELAINE SCIOLINO

Published: November 15, 2004

Morteza Nikoubazi/Reuters

Hassan Rowhani is the chief nuclear negotiator for Iran.

ARIS, Nov. 14 - The governments of France, Germany and Britain are studying a letter delivered Sunday by Iran in which it pledged to suspend uranium enrichment activities temporarily in exchange for economic and political incentives, European officials said.

The officials said it was unclear whether Iran had agreed to all the conditions set out in marathon talks in Paris last weekend with senior officials from France, Britain, Germany and the European Union or had inserted new conditions that could not be accepted.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the diplomacy between the Europeans and Iran is so sensitive, said the letter had been delivered to the ambassadors of the three countries in Tehran and to the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency in Vienna and would have to be scrutinized Monday before any announcement of a deal was made.

"All three governments need to examine the text carefully to see if this is what we want," said one British official in London.

A French official in Paris said an issue of such magnitude could not be rushed, adding, "We need to get as clear a deal as we can."

However, at the International Atomic Energy Agency, as the watchdog agency is called, the mood was more upbeat.

A Western diplomat connected to the agency said: "A letter has been received from Iran confirming that it will implement a full suspension of its uranium enrichment program. It's what the Europeans asked Iran to do."

The agency is prepared to include Iran's new pledge in its comprehensive special report on Iran's nuclear activities, expected to be released Monday.

But the three European governments are particularly cautious about a premature embrace of Iran.

The foreign ministers of the three countries brokered a deal, announced with much fanfare in Tehran 13 months ago. In it, Iran agreed to suspend its production of enriched uranium, which can be used in nuclear energy or nuclear weapons programs, and to submit to more intrusive inspections of its nuclear facilities.

After Iran violated the agreement, officials from the three countries acknowledged that the deal had been made too hastily and that the language of the final accord was too vague and open to misinterpretation.

In Tehran on Sunday, Hassan Rowhani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, announced that the letter had been given to the three ambassadors. Mr. Rowhani, who conducted the negotiations with the Europeans last year and who reports directly to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the suspension would not be indefinite. Rather, he said, it would continue "during the period of talks" with the European Union on the entire package deal, which includes a long list of incentives for Iran.

"We have agreed to suspend nearly all activities related to enrichment," Mr. Rowhani was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse in Tehran after meeting with the ambassadors of the three European countries. He added that what Iran had accepted "virtually corresponds" with what the 35-country ruling board of the International Atomic Energy Agency demanded in September.

Mr. Rowhani's deputy, Hossein Mousavian, who led the Iranian delegation talks in Paris a week ago, told reporters in Tehran that Iran had bowed to European demands that it suspend its program to convert raw uranium into uranium tetrafluoride. Uranium tetrafluoride is a precursor to the form of uranium that is fed into centrifuges to enrich it for use as fuel that can be used either for peaceful purposes or to develop nuclear weapons.

Mr. Mousavian also made clear that Iran's decision was not legally binding. "We have accepted the suspension as a voluntary step, and it does not create any obligations for us," Mr. Mousavian told Iranian state television.

On Nov. 25, the 35-country governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency is scheduled to decide whether to accept the Bush administration's call for Iran's case to be referred to the Security Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear program. The United States contends that Iran's program is a cover for a secret program to build nuclear bombs.

The Bush administration has repeatedly expressed skepticism over the European initiative, arguing that Iran needs to be punished, not rewarded, for its nuclear activities.

But in a surprising shift last Friday, President Bush lent support to the European initiative. At a joint news conference with the British prime minister, Tony Blair, at the White House, Mr. Bush praised Mr. Blair's efforts to try to achieve a deal.

"We don't want Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and we're working toward that end," Mr. Bush said. "And the truth of the matter is the prime minister gets a lot of credit for working with France and Germany to convince the Iranians to get rid of the processes that would enable them to develop a nuclear weapon."

Rowhani looks like Santa Claus.

How are we going to check for compliance?

Hit those plants.

Repeat, hit those plants.

I wish it were as easy as hitting their plants.

A couple of thoughts.

First, there are not a couple of plants that would need to be attacked and many of them are well protected and others are hidden. So experts predict that an attack would buy us one or two years at the most.

Second, the people of Iran desperately want a regime change and just need international support to accomplish it. They are very pro-American but even more Persian. An attack would likely bring the people back to the Mullahs side.

What we should do is have a policy of regime change and overtly support the Iranian people in their efforts to free themselves of the mullahs.

It would be less costly, more effective and less dangerous to the US.

US Administration... Faster Please.

Iran: What's Next?

Iran had bowed to European demands that it suspend its program to convert raw uranium into uranium tetrafluoride. Uranium tetrafluoride is a precursor to the form of uranium that is fed into centrifuges to enrich it for use as fuel that can be used either for peaceful purposes or to develop nuclear weapons.

They should not just suspend that program.

The uranium dioxide (brown oxide) is reacted with hydrogen fluoride to form uranium tetrafluoride (green salt). This is not that difficult, and not so easy to check:

UO2(s) + 4HF(g) ==> UF4(s) + 4H2O(g)

the next step is to put UF4 into a fluidized bed reactor with fluorine to obtain uranium hexafluoride (they should destroy all such equipment):

UF4(s) + F2(g) ==> UF6(g)

The gaseous hexafluoride is then processed in the centrifuges for separation of the uranium isotopes,and further production of weapon grade uranium. (Naturally they should destroy all centrifuges)

Furthermore "we" should purchase all UO2 and UF4 from Iran to take it out of circulation.

The Washington Post's article spends two pages depicting the Bush admin as being out of step with the entire world...even implying that Iran was being set up as the next Iraq. They totally ignore the fact that Bush's determination leant leverage to the Euro negotiators.

Then comes the very last paragraph:

European diplomats said Bush's reelection helped the negotiations by limiting Iran's options. Had Democrat John F. Kerry won, Iran might have tried to play for time or probe what policy shifts a new administration was considering, they said.

Doh!

I agree. I would also venture to say that it means they see more success in Iraq that the MSM and global media would have anyone see.

Concur, but with a caveat.......

The Iranians are probably lying again. They usually do. It's cultural, it's endogamous in their culture.

And FWIW, as an aside, in Achaemenid Persia before the coming of Alexander, veracity was the highest value. Look what Islam hath wrought -- the corruption of a once-noble people.

"The Iranians are probably lying again. They usually do"

You're speaking of the regime, I hope?

"...Iran might have tried to play for time...."

That's what they've been doing, and are doing now.

The Europeans are negotiating with fanatics & terrorists to maximize whatever benefits they can get out of it.

I agree with you about Dubya being a big reason for this, but why don't I feel good about this "suspension" of nuke developement? I dunno. Is this just a hudna? Is this another North Korea? How will we be able to KNOW for sure that Iran's government isn't just lying as usual? This "suspension" is ONLY going on (IF it really is) while the "talks" continue. This just feels like a hudna to me. Sure hope I'm wrong.