Although Iran and the US have hostile attitudes towards each other, they are able to agree on some things. Earlier this week, five American-Iranians arrived The prisoners were released In exchange for the release of five Iranians in the United States and the freezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets in South Korea. The deal was brokered by Qatar.
Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi left on Tuesday In his speech at the UN A big step up. He challenged the United States to renew the 2015 nuclear deal, under which Iran promised to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from sanctions. President Trump unilaterally withdrew from this in 2018. “America needs to show its goodwill and resolve,” Raisi said.
President Joe Biden will not be impressed. Rice does not mention, Iran this month denied a third of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) inspectors – including experienced experts – access to its nuclear facilities. This makes studies difficult. The IAEA recently reported that Iran has 114 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. This is over and above the 2015 agreement. The US and its allies blame Iran for this, but Tehran says the US should stick to the deal.
Nuclear bombs
Nuclear weapons require 90 percent enriched uranium. Iran has always maintained that its nuclear program is for civilian use only. But highly enriched uranium is not necessary for this. According to IAEA director Rafael Croci, Iran has enough enriched uranium to produce several nuclear bombs.
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Iran’s nuclear activities have hung like a shadow over the Middle East for years. Israel in particular, but Saudi Arabia as well, are seriously concerned about this. They don’t believe Iran is only following civilian usage. Prime Minister Netanyahu has threatened a crackdown. The US has also threatened this If Iran enriches its uranium to 90 percent. Many experts doubt that if Iran aspires to nuclear weapons, it will be able to stop it at this point.
Biden would make himself vulnerable in an election battle with Trump with a new deal
Since Biden took office in 2021, there have been several rounds of negotiations on a new deal with Iran. The two countries did not speak directly but spoke through mediators. The last of these ended last summer. There has been renewed contact between the two countries over the issue in recent months, but this has also been fruitless.
Many analysts suspect that neither the U.S. nor Iran want a new nuclear deal before next year’s U.S. election. Donald Trump could be president again. Last year, negotiations stalled at an advanced stage over Iran’s demand that the US guarantee it would not withdraw from the deal. Bound by the democratic rules of the game, Biden couldn’t ensure that.
Best possible
By striking a new nuclear deal with Iran, Biden will make himself vulnerable in an election race with Trump. And Congress will reject it. Iran also does not want to return to the 2015 deal eight years later, with Iran’s nuclear program making very little progress.
The best that can be achieved in the current situation now seems to be a modest deal. And Americans will no longer be held hostage by Iran and no more than 60 percent enrichment in exchange for fewer sanctions. Germany, France and Great Britain can play a mediating role in this.
A version of this article appeared in the September 21, 2023 issue of the newspaper.
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