Nuclear Negotiations with Iran May Continue Amid Caution - by Kamal Nazer
Iran is refusing to compromise, but it wants to keep on negotiating with the international community over the fate of the country’s nuclear program. Iranian officials continue to hope that they can revamp a deal, but some experts caution that Tehran may err in pushing too far. Iran responded on August 5 to an ultimatum delivered by the so-called 5+1 group -- comprising the five UN Security Council permanent members, along with Germany -- which demanded in July that Tehran immediately suspend uranium enrichment activity in exchange for an international guarantee that new economic sanctions would not be imposed.A major assumption the Iranians appear to be making is that US President George W. Bush is eager to strike a deal on the nuclear issue in order to bolster his diplomatic legacy. In addition, if Bush does not exhibit a desired level of flexibility, Iranian leaders believe his successor may be easier to deal with. A July 29 article in Tabnak, a publication closely associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, suggested that Bush wanted to achieve a "lighting diplomatic success," not only to enhance his personal image, but also to improve his party’s chances of retaining the presidency in November. The article went on to hint that it would be a "mistake" to strike a deal with Bush, unless Iran could come away with a substantially better bargain that what is currently on the table.
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