e-magazine
The Hot Zone
China's newly announced air defense identification zone over the East China Sea aims to shore up national security
Current Issue
· Table of Contents
· Editor's Desk
· Previous Issues
· Subscribe to Mag
Subscribe Now >>
Expert's View
World
Nation
Business
Finance
Market Watch
Legal-Ease
North American Report
Forum
Government Documents
Expat's Eye
Health
Science/Technology
Lifestyle
Books
Movies
Backgrounders
Special
Photo Gallery
Blogs
Reader's Service
Learning with
'Beijing Review'
E-mail us
RSS Feeds
PDF Edition
Web-magazine
Reader's Letters
Make Beijing Review your homepage
Hot Links

cheap eyeglasses
Market Avenue
eBeijing

World
Print Edition> World
UPDATED: November 18, 2013 NO. 47 NOVEMBER 21, 2013
The Iranian Thaw
Nuclear talks between Iran and UN Security Council members on the verge of a breakthrough
By Yu Lintao
Share

DEAL MAKERS: Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi (left) and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano, sign a protocol on November 11 to resolve nuclear issues (XINHUA/AFP)

After a long period of faltering Iranian nuclear talks, it appears there may be some hope for a peaceful resolution. However, no deal was reached until the last moment of the delayed Geneva talks on the issue from November 7 to 9 between Iran and the group known as the P5+1, which includes the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, the United States, Russia, France and Britain—plus Germany. Days after this round of talks, Iran and the IAEA announced an agreement that Iran will allow the UN nuclear watchdog to visit the Arak heavy water plant and Gachin uranium mine, which is seen as a sign of concession by Teheran to help resolve remaining disputes. Around the same time, London and Teheran announced plans to revive their diplomatic relations by once again appointing diplomats to each other, suggesting an apparent thaw in Iran's relations with the West.

Observers said the new round of talks in Geneva represents substantial progress in the Iranian nuclear issue. After a more than decade-long standoff over the controversial nuclear program, the world has finally come close to a historic turn.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed progress made during the talks. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who leads EU talks with Iran, said, "A lot of concrete progress has been achieved, but some differences remain."

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif offered another reason for optimism. "I think we are all on the same wavelength, and that's important," Zarif said. "That gives us the impetus to go forward."

"It is not easy to strike a deal, but the positive attitude and remarks from all parties showed that now is an extraordinary and historic opportunity," said Lu Jin, an associate research fellow with the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

Unprecedented opportunity

Since the new (and comparatively moderate) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took power on August 4, Iran's stance on its nuclear issue has displayed a certain level of flexibility.

Lu said both the United States and Iran revealed their willingness to seek a breakthrough on the Iranian nuclear issue following the latter's power transition.

"To grow its domestic economy, the new Iranian president hopes the international community will lift sanctions on the country in response to its softened stance toward nuclear talks," Lu said.

Li Shaoxian, a senior researcher on Middle East studies and Vice President of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), echoed Lu in saying that the U.S. sanctions on Iran has multiplied the country's economic difficulties. Iran's power transition could serve as an opportunity to make needed changes by easing its relations with the West and thereby improving the economy.

The U.S. President Barack Obama, a Nobel Peace laureate, also wants to make his mark on the deadlock, Lu added, noting that the relatively eased state of tensions between Washington and Teheran has contributed to the nuclear talk.

Observers noted that, after Obama took office for a second term, the U.S. diplomatic focus has moved slightly to the Middle East, even though its "pivot to Asia" strategy remains in place. American diplomat Kerry has paid extensive visits to the region after assuming the post as secretary of state.

During the UN Assembly this September, the first breakthrough was made in building mutual trust between the two countries. Obama and Rouhani held a talk by telephone during the Iranian president's New York trip, the first direct conversation between top leaders in Washington and Tehran since 1979, which was believed to have raised the possibility that a deal can be reached over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

Sadeq Zibakalam, a professor of politics at Tehran University, was quoted by Xinhua News Agency after the latest round of Geneva talks as saying that although there were some stumbling blocks in the process, "we have good grounds to be hopeful that a historic deal was in the air."

1   2   Next  



 
Top Story
-Protecting Ocean Rights
-Partners in Defense
-Fighting HIV+'s Stigma
-HIV: Privacy VS. Protection
-Setting the Tone
Most Popular
 
About BEIJINGREVIEW | About beijingreview.com | Rss Feeds | Contact us | Advertising | Subscribe & Service | Make Beijing Review your homepage
Copyright Beijing Review All right reserved