U.S. offers Iran nuclear technology as incentive

It had been known that the deal included European offers of help in building light-water nuclear reactors for a peaceful energy program. But there had previously been no suggestion the Americans would also agree to help build a nuclear program for a country they frequently paint as a threat to world security.

John Wolfsthal, a nonproliferation analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said any such offer would be tied to strict monitoring conditions.

“Iran has to be fully compliant in terms of inspectors on site, cameras and tracking equipment,” Wolfsthal said. “All that is standard operating procedure with countries with light-water reactors.”

Time for consideration
In Washington, State Department Sean McCormack declined to go into specifics of the proposal. He said diplomacy “is at a sensitive stage” and the United States wants Iran to have a chance to review the proposal without having it discussed publicly.

He refused to offer a time frame, but said the Iran’s timetable to consider the package was “weeks, not months.”

Asked about reports that the offer of Western technology includes U.S. technological assistance, McCormack said: “Well, I’ve seen a lot of reports flying around the past couple days about what may or may not be in this package. I would just caution everybody, until we actually are able to discuss what is in the package in public, take reports with a grain of salt.”

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in exchange for discussing details, said that the United States and Europe agreed to back Iran’s membership in the World Trade Organization,

The United States would also lift some sanctions — including allowing Iran to buy the much-needed airplane parts — and join with Europeans in direct negotiations with Iran over the future of Iran’s nuclear program.

Diplomats said Monday that the United States additionally agreed to open the door for Europe to sell Tehran new Airbus planes. Iran’s commercial fleet is largely made up of Boeings purchased before the 1979 revolution, and Tehran frequently complains that the U.S. ban on parts has undermined safety. U.S. pressure has also prevented Iranian attempts to purchase new Airbus aircraft.

Positive steps, with ambiguities
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented the package to Iranian officials Tuesday in Tehran.

“The proposals contain positive steps and also some ambiguities, which must be removed,” Larijani said afterward.

Larijani did not identify the ambiguities but said he discussed them with Solana and that more talks would be required. “We hope we will have negotiations and deliberations again after we have carefully studied the proposals,” he said.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran would give the proposals “careful study” and then “we will inform our friends of Iran’s views.”

Solana said of the meeting: “I have a feeling that it has been very, very constructive,” and said the two sides would have more contacts in the coming days.

Solana hints at threats
In the talks, Solana also “carried a message” about potential penalties if Iran refuses the offer. But he withheld telling the Iranians the specific threats — including the possibility of U.N. sanctions — so as not to jeopardize the “positive” atmosphere, said one diplomat in Vienna.

If Tehran does not accept, the package threatens Iran with a travel ban against its ruling religious leaders and government officials involved in the nuclear program, plus a freeze of Iranian financial assets abroad, U.S. officials and diplomats in Vienna have said.

The current package’s lack of a demand for scrapping enrichment entirely could prove key, said Iranian political analyst Mostafa Kavakebian, who predicted Iran would accept temporary suspension of uranium enrichment but would reject any permanent halt.

In past days, Iranian leaders have combined tough talk with signals that they are open to a deal — perhaps an attempt to portray to the Iranian public that they remain firm, even as they consider reversing their refusal to suspend enrichment.

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