America giving Islamic Republic one more chance at negotiations
Australia becomes latest country to impose sanctions
By ICEJ News
29 Jul 2010
The US is reported to be advancing an idea for holding high level talks with Iran on a potential nuclear fuel swap deal proposed last year but never acted on by Teheran.
“We hope to have the same kind of meeting coming up in the coming weeks that we had last October,” US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told reporters Wednesday, referring to a meeting the permanent UN Security Council members – the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany, had with Iran in Geneva. At that meeting, there was apparent agreement for Iran to ship stockpiles of its low enriched uranium to France and Russia for further enrichment so it could be used for medical purposes, but Iran never moved on the plan.
Iran recently delivered a letter to the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency in an apparent attempt to escape further censure by the international community, and the US is currently studying the letter.
“We obviously are fully prepared to follow up with Iran on specifics regarding our initial proposal,” as well as address “the broader issues of trying to fully understand the nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” Crowley added on Wednesday.
Also in Washington for meetings with US officials, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Fox News on Tuesday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a “quite a sophisticated but bizarre character” adding that “even tougher sanctions might not be sufficient (but) we have to exhaust alternatives. It’s clear that beyond a certain point, an operation against Iran might not be that relevant, both for the US and for anyone else.” Rejecting reports that Israel has lost faith in President Obama’s willingness to confront Iran, Barak said that “There are certainly differences of perspectives about timelines and what exactly could be done about it, but I find no love lost between this administration and the Iranians. I think that they are showing quite a readiness to look reality in the eyes.”
Among growing signs of Iran’s continued international isolation, Iran’s Press TV reported on Wednesday that four Iranian lawmakers attempting to enter the Gaza Strip were denied entry visas by Egyptian authorities and the Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith announced Thursday morning that his country would impose new economic sanctions against Iran, following the lead of the US, EU and Canada who have all passed similar measures in the last two weeks.
“In adopting this package, Australia stands at the forefront of international community efforts to have Iran meet its international obligations in relation to its nuclear program, one of the most serious security challenges facing the international community," Smith said.
Also in Washington for meetings with US officials, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Fox News on Tuesday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a “quite a sophisticated but bizarre character” adding that “even tougher sanctions might not be sufficient (but) we have to exhaust alternatives. It’s clear that beyond a certain point, an operation against Iran might not be that relevant, both for the US and for anyone else.” 
Among growing signs of Iran’s continued international isolation, Iran’s Press TV reported on Wednesday that four Iranian lawmakers attempting to enter the Gaza Strip were denied entry visas by Egyptian authorities and the Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith announced Thursday morning that his country would impose new economic sanctions against Iran, following the lead of the US, EU and Canada who have all passed similar measures in the last two weeks.
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