Just days ahead
of the talks between the six world powers and Iran over the latter’s nuclear
program, reports say Washington is “radiating optimism” with expectations of a
peaceful nuclear deal and a “warming of relations” with Tehran.
One of the
developments making a U.S. or Israeli attack less likely and a peaceful deal
more likely was the announcement of a surprise visit this week to Tehran by the
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano. This was perceived as a sign that Iran was beginning to
acquiesce in the IAEA demands to inspect the Parchin military site, despite
there being no enrichment at the facility.
Parchin received
a considerable amount of attention and war propaganda, but it seemed to be the
West’s and the IAEA’s final area of concern regarding the nature of Iran’s
nuclear program, which Iranians insist is peaceful in nature and which the U.S.
intelligence community has agreed involves no
weaponization.
Another
indication that war will be avoided was the statement by a spokesman for
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta that “a military option is not being weighed
at this point.”
The comment was made in response to a recent claim by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro that the military option is “not just available, but it’s ready.”
Pentagon
spokesperson George Little explained that the Pentagon is by nature “a planning
organization,” and the planning of such contingencies is not a sign of impending
war. Antiwar
President Obama
on Saturday declared Iran’s nuclear program a “grave concern” for world leaders,
but he said that the United States and its allies are hopeful ahead of
negotiations next week. bayoubuzz.com Iran's top
negotiator Saeed Jalili has said that Tehran's move on the path of progress is
unstoppable. Dismissing some recent comments by Western countries that time is
running out for dialogue with Tehran, he said "time is running out not for Iran,
but for the western powers' increasing pressure against the Iranian nation."
RTTNews The U.S., Israel
and their allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have
used this allegation as a pretext to convince the UN Security Council to impose
four rounds of sanctions on Iran. Tehran has
categorically refuted Western allegations, saying that as a signatory to the
NPT, it has the right to acquire and develop atomic technology for peaceful
purposes. The latest round
of talks between Iran and the five members of the P5+1 group was held in the
Turkish city of Istanbul on April 14. Both sides hailed the discussions as
constructive. Tehran and the
P5+1 had previously held two rounds of talks, one in Geneva, Switzerland in
December 2010, and another in Istanbul in January 2011.
AHT/KA
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