BICOM

As talks between P5+1 representatives and Iranian officials in Geneva appeared to make significant progress yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against the dangers of the reported short-term deal in the offing.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to make an unscheduled visit to Geneva today in order to help conclude a first-step deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif told reporters “talks went well.”The proposed six-month plan is intended as a prelude to a more comprehensive agreement which would be negotiated during this period.

A Senate aide told the Telegraph that the US-led proposal would require Iran to halt twenty per cent uranium enrichment and convert existing stocks to harmless oxide, end plans to activate the Arak plutonium reactor and agree to stop use of advanced IR-2 centrifuges. In return, the United States would agree to some easing of specific sanctions, which US officials described as both limited and reversible, if Iran fails to comply during the coming six months. Writing in YNet, UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould assured regarding the current talks, “We are not naive… and go into this with our eyes open.”

Under such a plan though, Iran would be permitted to continue uranium enrichment to 3.5 per cent and would be allowed to continue manufacturing centrifuges. The Telegraph’s Senate source warned that the proposed deal “would neither freeze nor setback” Iran’s breakout capacity and would likely prompt a Senate initiative to impose additional sanctions on Tehran.

Speaking last night in Jerusalem, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu said “This proposal will allow Iran to preserve its ability to build a nuclear weapon. Israel is completely opposed to these proposals… adopting them would be a mistake of historic proportions and they should be completely rejected.”