Iran to continue with its nuke program

As the European Union slapped further sanctions on Iran’s gas, oil and maritime sectors for its nuclear programme, Iran declared there was an “easy solution” to the nuclear question.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said all Iran wants is a western “recognition”.  “We want them (the west) to recognize our right to a peaceful nuclear programme under the NPT. If they just say this, we would agree to a settlement,” the Iranian functionary said. The longer “they” delay a settlement, he added, the closer Iran would get to acquiring a complete nuclear programme. Iran’s deputy foreign minister is in India for the tenth round of strategic dialogue with foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.

India now has rupees worth $1 billion in payments to Iran for oil in Iran’s bank accounts in India. India continues to source oil from Iran, though over 40 per cent less than earlier. The bulk of Indian payments are routed through Turkey, which might be stopped if a new set of sanctions currently being debated in the US come through. India wants to use the rupee payments to pay for the development of the Chahbahar port in Iran which could connect Afghanistan and Central Asia to India.

The Iranian stand on their nuclear ambitions, which appear to have mellowed, came as EU tightened their sanctions on Iran. On Monday, the EU put in place stricter measures targeting Iran’s banking, trade and energy sectors. EU has also placed an embargo on Iranian oil, petrochemicals and natural gas. EU ships or tankers can no longer carry Iranian crude.

Under the NPT, Iran has the right to nuclear energy, but it has to be more transparent with its nuclear programme. The trouble, say analysts here, is Iran is yet to suitably convince the IAEA or the international community that its programme is peaceful. The discovery of new Iranian nuclear sites, like Fordow, have done nothing to reassure anybody. The latest IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear activities are sobering.

India opposes Iran’s nuclearization, believing it could trigger Iran’s regional rival, Saudi Arabia to seek nuclear weapons as well, followed by, perhaps Egypt, Turkey, what have you. Despite this, India is loath to join a US-EU led sanctions regime, believing it to only hurt ordinary citizens, while strengthening the regime. Araghchi reiterated that nuclear weapons did not form part of Iran’s strategic calculations, even citing a fatwa against nuclear weapons by their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

That said, Araghchi maintained that the Iranian nuclear programme was alive and doing well. Analysts here tracking the Iranian nuclear programme say, there is no clarity for the international community regarding the activities in Fordow or Parchin, a military site. Iran maintains the latter is a non-nuclear military site.

But the sanctions are hurting. Araghchi admitted they have been “costly” for Iran.  “but they have not been able to make us give up our right (to a nuclear programme).  “Western sanctions have made things difficult for Iran, but we have turned them into opportunities. We have discovered new means to deal with each other.” Last week, Iran’s currency tanked, leading to popular protests, the first that this has happened. The authorities brought out the riot police, but western nations regarded it as a vindication of their policies.

On the question of whether Iran was concerned about western/Israeli military strikes on their nuclear sites, Araghchi rejected it, saying the nuclear sites were widely dispersed and no outsider had a clear idea of their location. He also trashed israel’s military threat pointing to what he called Israel’s “vulnerabilities.” “They may start a war with Iran, but they will not finish the war. The gates of hell would open,” he said dramatically.

(published in The Times of India, October 17, 2012)