Iran Agrees to Draft Nuclear Proposal
CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports:
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This story was filed by CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer in Vienna. CBSNews.com's Tucker Reals in London contributed to the report.
Updated, 7:59 a.m. Eastern:
Diplomats from Iran, the U.S., Russia and France agreed Wednesday to a draft proposal that would see Iran ship about 75 percent of its enriched uranium to Russia by the end of this year.
Each nation's government will still need to ratify the agreement individually by Friday, and it's unclear whether Iran's hard-line rulers intend to do so.
Iran's envoy was upbeat following the morning talks. Lead negotiator Ali Asghar Soltanieh told reporters upon emerging from the closed door meetings that a side deal attached to the proposal includes an historic first: a proposed direct transfer of U.S. nuclear technology to Iran, including "control, instrument and safety equipment" for the research reactor at Tehran University.
Above: Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, left, speaks to media after talks between Iran and the United States, Russia and France over Iran's nuclear program, Oct. 21, 2009, at Vienna's International Center.
That deal, which the American side has not yet confirmed to CBS News, would be monitored and facilitated by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
"We have been informed about the readiness of the United States, in a technical project with the IAEA, to cooperate in this respect," said Soltanieh. "This will be also further elaborated at a later stage," he added.
Filed at 6:40 a.m. Eastern:
Diplomats from Iran, the U.S., France and Russia resumed meetings Wednesday in Vienna, Austria seeking agreement on a deal that would see Iran move the majority of its enriched uranium stockpile out of the country before the end of this year.
Iran agreed in principle a month ago that the uranium should go to Russia and France for re-processing into fuel rods for medical use in their old, U.S.-built research reactor at the University of Tehran.
The Obama administration and its allies in Europe are pushing for the deal because it would move the uranium out of the Islamic Republic's reach for any potential military purposes.
Iran could make another equivalent stockpile of enriched uranium — theoretically enough for a bomb — but it would take about two years. The country's leaders have always insisted their nuclear intentions are peaceful, but the U.S. and many European nations fear they are hiding a clandestine weapons program.
Senior American officials said before heading back into the talks that negotiations would end Wednesday, but that the outcome was still far from clear.
Asked whether a deal was within reach they said, "We just can't tell."
Describing the talks as "classic negotiation," the U.S. officials said that, even after a day and a half of hard bargaining, none of the outstanding issues had been completely resolved.
It's believed the two main sticking points are the quantity of uranium Iran will ship abroad for re-enrichment, and how soon they will do it.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner laid out France's terms for the deal Tuesday in Paris. "It must be before the end of the year," he said, and Iran must send, "at least 1,200 kilograms" (2,600 pounds, or about 75% of their stockpile) of its enriched uranium to Russia to be re-processed.
Wednesday night, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, which is also taking part in the talks, said they were making progress on the technical issues — including the "how much and when" questions, and costs.
"The door is wide open for Iran. If they want this deal, all they have to do is say yes and there will be one," said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei.
American officials have continued talks with Iran in Vienna even as the Islamic Republic moved Tuesday to sentence American-Iranian academic Kian Tajbaksh to 12 years in jail for policital reasons.
The White House has choosen to deal with the various Iran issues one at a time. While Tajbaksh's sentence has angered the Obama administration, there is hope that a nuclear deal with Iran could set the stage for a more constructive relationship overall on all matters, including human rights.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Watch CBS News Videos Online
This story was filed by CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer in Vienna. CBSNews.com's Tucker Reals in London contributed to the report.
(AP Photo/Hans Punz)
Diplomats from Iran, the U.S., Russia and France agreed Wednesday to a draft proposal that would see Iran ship about 75 percent of its enriched uranium to Russia by the end of this year.
Each nation's government will still need to ratify the agreement individually by Friday, and it's unclear whether Iran's hard-line rulers intend to do so.
Iran's envoy was upbeat following the morning talks. Lead negotiator Ali Asghar Soltanieh told reporters upon emerging from the closed door meetings that a side deal attached to the proposal includes an historic first: a proposed direct transfer of U.S. nuclear technology to Iran, including "control, instrument and safety equipment" for the research reactor at Tehran University.
Above: Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, left, speaks to media after talks between Iran and the United States, Russia and France over Iran's nuclear program, Oct. 21, 2009, at Vienna's International Center.
That deal, which the American side has not yet confirmed to CBS News, would be monitored and facilitated by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
"We have been informed about the readiness of the United States, in a technical project with the IAEA, to cooperate in this respect," said Soltanieh. "This will be also further elaborated at a later stage," he added.
Filed at 6:40 a.m. Eastern:
Diplomats from Iran, the U.S., France and Russia resumed meetings Wednesday in Vienna, Austria seeking agreement on a deal that would see Iran move the majority of its enriched uranium stockpile out of the country before the end of this year.
Iran agreed in principle a month ago that the uranium should go to Russia and France for re-processing into fuel rods for medical use in their old, U.S.-built research reactor at the University of Tehran.
The Obama administration and its allies in Europe are pushing for the deal because it would move the uranium out of the Islamic Republic's reach for any potential military purposes.
Iran could make another equivalent stockpile of enriched uranium — theoretically enough for a bomb — but it would take about two years. The country's leaders have always insisted their nuclear intentions are peaceful, but the U.S. and many European nations fear they are hiding a clandestine weapons program.
Senior American officials said before heading back into the talks that negotiations would end Wednesday, but that the outcome was still far from clear.
Asked whether a deal was within reach they said, "We just can't tell."
Describing the talks as "classic negotiation," the U.S. officials said that, even after a day and a half of hard bargaining, none of the outstanding issues had been completely resolved.
It's believed the two main sticking points are the quantity of uranium Iran will ship abroad for re-enrichment, and how soon they will do it.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner laid out France's terms for the deal Tuesday in Paris. "It must be before the end of the year," he said, and Iran must send, "at least 1,200 kilograms" (2,600 pounds, or about 75% of their stockpile) of its enriched uranium to Russia to be re-processed.
Wednesday night, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, which is also taking part in the talks, said they were making progress on the technical issues — including the "how much and when" questions, and costs.
"The door is wide open for Iran. If they want this deal, all they have to do is say yes and there will be one," said International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei.
American officials have continued talks with Iran in Vienna even as the Islamic Republic moved Tuesday to sentence American-Iranian academic Kian Tajbaksh to 12 years in jail for policital reasons.
The White House has choosen to deal with the various Iran issues one at a time. While Tajbaksh's sentence has angered the Obama administration, there is hope that a nuclear deal with Iran could set the stage for a more constructive relationship overall on all matters, including human rights.
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Personal attacks and name calling do not scare or intimidate me and I will post what I want to. If some of you don't like that, that's your problem.
I don't run from tea party Limbaugh fans who think they can stop people from expressing opinions other than their opinions by name calling or yelling at them at town meetings.
You don't scare me one bit.
Live with it.
That does not surprise me that you don't know.
It has been proved that ALL war mongers are chicken just like Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and the rest of the tough talkers who have never served in the military but preach war.
People who have actually served in the military or seen combat do everything possible to avoid the horrors of war because they have been there.
Now you know.
It is worth repeating. If Iran were to use a "nuke", Iran would be
literally destroyed as country.
*********************
Hey cinoti,
Nuclear Detterent worked perfecdt between USSR/Russia and USA for the last 60 years and forever.
Nuclear Detterent would work perfect between Israel and Iran forever.
My survival is more important than all the differences between me and my worst enemy.
If Israel drop the Nuke on Iran, then all the Arab Nations will not stop until Israel disappears. Forget about oil prices which will give America its 4th Great Depression and RIP.
American have proven that all the Expensive Advance High Tech Military cannot win a war. Americans are winning in Iraq and Afghanistan with Low-Tech and No-Tech Military.
literally destroyed as country. Israel has more than enough capability
to do that! Every major city and resource would be vaporized.
That terrible possibility ought to understood by Iranian leadership.
But if Israel, attacks first, with non "nukes", besides the fact that
oil will go to $700 a barrel,(causing every one else to suffer),
Iran would have international justification to retaliate. And then
what happens? Its all down hill after that. Surely there are better solutions. China and Russia should either help, or get out of the way!
In the end, Russia and China will pay as high a price, as anyone else, for letting it happen! (unforeseen consequences)
What most people fail to realize is that Iran doesn't have to use nukes to gain immensely from them. Once they have them, they are instantly catapulted to the top of the Middle East. The political influence they gain could in the long run be just as bad if not worse than actually using the nukes themselves.
It is worth repeating. If Iran were to use a "nuke", Iran would be
literally destroyed as country.
*********************
Hey cinoti,
Nuclear Detterent worked perfecdt between USSR/Russia and USA for the last 60 years and forever.
Nuclear Detterent would work perfect between Israel and Iran forever.
My survival is more important than all the differences between me and my worst enemy.
If Israel drop the Nuke on Iran, then all the Arab Nations would not stop until Israel disappears. Forget about oil prices.
American have proven that all the Expensive Advance High Tech Military cannot win a war. Americans are willing in Iraq and Afghanistan with Low-Tech and No-Tech Military.
All within one short Presidential year.
This is starting to look like Change I can believe in.
Make a big KABOOM?
My eyes rolled after hearing Secretary Gates arrogantly telling everyone that he commands 2 million employees while Secretary Clinton only has 7,000 employees. His statements sent very poor signals about foreign policy credibility. Personally, I am in favor of Clinton and Gates exchanging jobs for 24 hours and seeing how Gates would feel if Clinton broadcasted the same thing over national TV to the world.
The US Senate has big challenges to overhaul the intelligence agencies and reverse the executive order of Eisenhauer that permited independence and classified "black budgets" to exist which were formed during the earliest part of the cold war.
Wartime Foreign Policy seems to always be different than Peacetime Foriegn Policy, which makes people cringe to learn that civilian control over the military is frequently undermined by the Secretary of Defense's whims and wishlists.