Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Solar Energy News .




NUKEWARS
Geneva talks herald new 'era' for Iran nuclear dispute
by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) Oct 17, 2013


Iranian analysts hailed Thursday the latest round of nuclear talks with world powers as a "new era" and a "new spring", praising Tehran's insistence on its right to enrich uranium.

There was no breakthrough at the two days of talks in Geneva, but most participants welcomed the positive atmosphere of the negotiations, the first since April.

Iran showed more flexibility during the talks, seen as a test for the seriousness of a policy change advocated by President Hassan Rouhani.

Rouhani, a reputed moderate who took office in August, has said he wants to swiftly resolve the long-decade nuclear standoff with the so-called P5+1 group -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany.

So far, Rouhani has enjoyed the qualified support of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters including foreign policy and the nuclear issue.

But foreign analysts question the extent of Rouhani's flexibilty in the face of regime hardliners who are against any concession.

"Nuclear impasse broken in Geneva," read the front-page headline of the government-run Iran daily, hailing the outcome of the negotiations.

"At the negotiating table we discussed in detail all the steps we should take. We also drew our red lines," Iran's chief negotiator Abbas Araqchi said, quoted by the daily.

"We also proposed solutions for the West's concerns... if shipping out the enriched uranium is a red line for us, we proposed another way to tackle this concern," he said.

Major powers are particularly concerned about Iran's uranium enrichment which they suspect has military objectives.

Tehran vehemently denies this, saying that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Tehran has signed up to, it maintains the right to have peaceful nuclear technology.

In an attempt to force Iran to reel in its disputed nuclear activities, the United Nations has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Tehran.

The United States and European Union have slapped the Islamic republic with additional punitive measures against its oil and banking sectors.

The sanctions slashed Iran's oil revenues by more than half, seen the rial plunge against other currencies and caused inflation to surge by more than 40 percent, according to official data.

The reformist Etemad newspaper lauded the "new spring of negotiations," in a column by former diplomat Ali Khoram.

Rouhani, he wrote, wanted to "open a new chapter in negotiations, while emphasising the country's fundamental rights under (the NPT), including uranium enrichment.

"It is ready to undertake extensive cooperation to build trust".

"But the West should not overestimate the impact of sanctions, assume it has the upper hand and that it is (only) up to Iran to show flexibility," added Khoram.

Some observers said Tehran should defend its legal rights .

"As a member of NPT, Iran's enrichment rights should be emphasised and approved by the West," said Gholamali Khoshrou, a member of Iran's negotiating team led by Rouhani in 2003 and 2005.

"If there is mistrust on the other side about Iran's goodwill, we should tackle these concerns through legitimate mechanisms and legal tools."

The official IRNA news agency said "another victory in Rouhani's record, Iran's glowing nuclear diplomacy in Geneva," noting "optimism" among the diplomats involved in the negotiations.

According to IRNA, this "opportunity" created by the election of Rouhani, could pave the way for reaching an agreement about Iran's right to enrichment, transparency, more inspections of nuclear facilities and the lifting of sanctions.

The hardline Kayhan daily was less optimistic, however.

It highlighted remarks by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that "America should show its good will in practical measures."

Wendy Sherman, the head of the US delegation to the nuclear talks with Iran, urged the US Congress to delay new sanctions against Iran until there is an outcome at the Geneva talks.

Another round of negotiations is to be held on November 7 and 8.

.


Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








NUKEWARS
Iran judge condemns American to death for spying
Tehran (AFP) Jan 9, 2012
An Iranian judge sentenced a US-Iranian man to death for spying for the CIA, media reported Monday, exacerbating high tensions in the face of Western sanctions on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. Amir Mirzai Hekmati, a 28-year-old former Marine born in the United States to an Iranian family, was "sentenced to death for cooperating with a hostile nation, membership of the CIA and try ... read more


NUKEWARS
Ethanol not a major factor in reducing gas prices

Boeing, South African Airways Launch Sustainable Aviation Biofuel Effort in Southern Africa

Metabolically engineered E. coli producing phenol

Team uses a cellulosic biofuels byproduct to increase ethanol yield

NUKEWARS
'Biobots' may help map hidden, dangerous environments

Northrop Grumman's CaMEL to Participate in Robotic Armed Live Fire Demo

Russia to launch first android robot to ISS

Better robot vision

NUKEWARS
Key German lawmaker: End renewable energy subsidies by 2020

Installation of the first AREVA turbines at Trianel Windpark Borkum and Global Tech 1

Trump's suit to halt wind farm project to be heard in November

Ireland connects first community-owned wind farm to grid

NUKEWARS
GM to launch dual-fuel car in 2014

Safety of in-car WiFi proposal questioned by researchers

Anger over German stance on auto CO2 emissions

Romanians saddle up for bike Renaissance

NUKEWARS
Chevron in US court to block $19bn Ecuador fine

Senior Dutch diplomat beaten up in Russia

China and Russia to boost energy cooperation

Troubled Somalia hustles Big Oil to resume exploration

NUKEWARS
Britain to allow Chinese majority stakes in nuclear projects: Osborne

Mitsubishi says to defend $4bn claim over US nuke plant

Post-Fukushima, Asia still drives global nuclear growth

Once-in-a-decade typhoon heads for Japan nuclear plant

NUKEWARS
Power plant threat to Bosnia oasis

Global Hydropower Market Continuing to Grow, with Asia-Pacific Keeping the Lead

Balancing Geological Potential and Political Risk

US push for electric power surge in Africa hits climate snag

NUKEWARS
Massive spruce beetle outbreak in Colorado tied to drought

Historic trends predict future global reforestation unlikely

Forests most likely to continue shrinking

Death of a spruce tree




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement