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 | Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Photo: EPA |
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'US dismissed Iranian plan to resolve nuclear crisis'
New York Times
reports Tehran offered Washington nine-step plan to relinquish nuclear
program in exchange for West lifting all sanctions, but US found
proposal 'unworkable'
Yitzhak Benhorin
WASHINGTON – The United States has reportedly chosen to dismiss a nine-point plan offered by Iran
to resolve the nuclear crisis,
the New York Times reported Friday.
According to the report, Tehran presented Washington with a
nine-step plan that would see the Islamic Republic relinquish it nuclear
endeavors in exchange for the US gradually lifting the international sanctions
that are crippling its economy.
Related stories:
The United States
reportedly rejected the offer, citing it called for so many
concessions by the West, to the point where Washington said it was
"unworkable," and that it was made with the intent of creating nothing
but a media
buzz.
US officials told the newspaper that the proposal indicated that Iran
was crumbling under the crushing impact of the sanctions, particularly
those imposed on its oil industry.
According to the NYT, the proposal was presented to US officials during the Iranian mission's visit to the UN General Assembly
in New York City.
"Within the intelligence community, I think it’s fair to say that
there is split opinion about whether the upper level of the (Iranian)
regime is getting seriously worried,” a senior intelligence official was
quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
he added, may be feeling the pressure, but "He's erratic, and we’ve
seen him walk up to the edge of deals before and walk away."
The Iranian plan is said to be based on a proposal made to European Union officials in July.
It calls for a gradual lift of the sanctions, as Iran simultaneously ends work at one of two sites, known to be uranium enrichment
facilities.
The Iranian plan is said to be based on a proposal made to European Union officials in July.
It calls for a gradual lift of the sanctions, as Iran simultaneously
ends work at one of two sites, known to be uranium enrichment
facilities.
But the Iranian plan stated that only after step number nine is
reached, i.e. - after all the sanctions have been lifted and Iran sees
its oil revenues recover – would Tehran "suspend" medium-enriched
uranium production at Fordo.
White
House officials told the NYT that it was more likely the proposal was
"meant to generate headlines, but would not guarantee that Iran cannot
produce a weapon."
The plan's outline "means you can move the fuel around, and it stays
inside the country… yet we’re supposed to lift sanctions that would take
years to re-impose, if we could get countries to agree," a senior Obama
administration official said.
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