BICOM

Saturday’s six-power talks with Iran on its nuclear programme ended with an agreement on a follow-up round of talks on May 23 in Baghdad. Whilst Iran did not bring firm proposals on how to avert a crisis over its nuclear weapons programme, EU foreign policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton, who is the lead negotiator for the P5+1, called the talks “constructive”. She said that the aim was to create a sustained, “step-by-step” process which would lead to, “compliance by Iran with  all its international obligations.” Western negotiators are now working on a framework agreement for further discussion in the next round of talks.

However, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed disappointment after the talks, describing the scheduling of a second round of talks in five weeks’ time as a “freebie” that will allow Iran more time to enrich uranium. Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed after the talks that, “We now need agreement on urgent, practical steps to build confidence around the world that Iran will implement its international obligations and does not intend to build a nuclear weapon.” Meanwhile President Obama stressed on Sunday that, “We’re not going to have these talks just drag out in a stalling process,” warning Iran that sanctions would get tougher in the months ahead.

Initial confidence building steps might include Iran shipping overseas the uranium it has already enriched to 20%, and for a credible inspection regime for its enrichment facilities. Iran is currently enriching uranium to 20% on a scale considerably greater than it needs for its claimed medical purposes. Uranium enriched to 20% uranium can easily enriched further to weapons-grade material. Iran is in breach of six binding UN Security Council resolutions that require it to cease all uranium enrichment and cooperate with the IAEA to answer allegations about its efforts to construct nuclear weapons.