“give Iran a chance to prove its stated goodwill”
Mohamed ElBaradei in the NYT:
Iran is expanding its nuclear program in defiance of United Nations’ resolutions, even as it has promised to answer questions about an array of suspicious nuclear activities in the past, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Thursday. The assessment by the nuclear agency states that Iran is now simultaneously operating nearly 2,000 centrifuges, the machines that produce enriched uranium, at its vast underground facility at Natanz, an increase of several hundred machines from three months ago. More than 650 additional centrifuges are being tested or are under construction, the agency said. But the program is running at well below capacity, raising questions about whether Iran is facing technical difficulties or has made a political decision to move more slowly in producing enriched uranium, which can be used to produce electricity or fuel bombs…
“This is the first time Iran is ready to discuss all the outstanding issues which triggered the crisis in confidence,” Mohamed ElBaradei, the agency’s director general, said in an hourlong interview. “It’s a significant step. There are clear deadlines so it’s not — as some people are saying — an open ended invitation to dallying with the agency or a ruse to prolong negotiations and avoid sanctions.” Dr. ElBaradei stopped short of calling for a delay in the American-led strategy to impose new sanctions as soon as possible, but said: “I’m clear at this stage you need to give Iran a chance to prove its stated goodwill…”
Dr. ElBaradei said he believes that the Iranian leadership has decided to operate the facility at Natanz at much lower than capacity. “They could have expanded much faster,” he said. “Some say it’s for technical reasons. My gut feeling is that it’s primarily for political reasons.”
UPDATE
Meanwhile, Teheran decided to poke its finger in ElBaradei’s eye. AP:
Iran’s president claimed Sunday that his country is now running 3,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium for its nuclear program—a long-sought Iranian goal that could add momentum to efforts to impose new U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
The claim appeared at odds with a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Thursday that put the number much lower—at close to 2,000. The International Atomic Energy Agency said enrichment had slowed and Iran was cooperating with its nuclear probe, which could fend off calls for a third round of sanctions.
“The West thought the Iranian nation would give in after just a resolution, but now we have taken another step in the nuclear progress and launched more than 3,000 centrifuge machines, installing a new cascade every week,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in remarks carried by the state television Web site.
No doubt ElBaradei and the West will have yet another chance to engage in more wishful thinking, inaction, and deferral of sanctions soon.