With Assurances, Iran Might Accept a Nuclear Deal

While the US prepares to propose UN Security Council sanctions against Iran for its nuclear enrichment program, other Western powers seek a less harsh approach to the issue. On December 21, Britain, France and Germany met a high-level Iranian team to discuss options for defusing international tensions. The main European proposal encourages Iran to allow their nuclear fuel to be manufactured in Russia so as to lessen the possibility of weapon development. This attempt at a compromise is prudent, argues professor Sadegh Zibakalam, given that Iranians of all political stripes are united in the belief that their country is entitled to develop nuclear fuel and that Western attempts to thwart the initiative are grounded in a desire to keep the nation in poverty and backwardness. But before making any deal, Iran will likely demand assurances that the US and Israel will not attack its nuclear facilities. Given the dangers of yet another war in the region, international options to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear deterrent are limited but vital. – YaleGlobal