Published: August 16, 2005
Op-Ed Contributor
Crossfire War: Europe/Middle East; Hosein Musavian Boasts Iran Bought Extra Time
By Willard Payne
Night Watch: TEHRAN - Over Iranian television an Iranian foreign policy official, Hosein Musavian, boasted "Thanks to the negotiations with Europe we gained another year in which we completed the project in Isfahan." He also admitted that the work on centrifuges in the Natanz plant, that had been secret, progressed during the negotiations.
His comments were made August 4, two days before Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the EU incentive proposal. The chairman of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council’ foreign policy committee said, "We needed six to 12 months to complete the work on the centrifuges."
But on occasion, perhaps in a rare moment of clarity, an official connected to the EU side will admit they had been trying to buy time also. The question is who gained more from the negotiation? Which side is more ready for war?
Mr. Musavian continued that until the EU entered Iran had only dealt with the UN sponsored International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which had granted Iran only a 50-day deadline to suspend uranium enrichment and then Iran would risk being referred to the UN Security Council but, "The IAEA gave us a 50-day extension to suspend the enrichment and all related activities, but thanks to the negotiations with Europe we gained another year in which we completed the project in Isfahan."
He even mentioned that Iran benefitted from the inducements offered by the EU, including the invitation to assist Iran in joining the World Trade Organization. This is why Iran pretended to be so cooperative. "Today, we are in a position of power. Isfahan is complete and has a stockpile of products."
The entry of the EU 3 has delayed the crisis Iran would have faced a year ago while its program was still being completed and Tehran was less prepared for war then that it is now. Iran’s new Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar now has a stockpile of products to launch at the EU.
With the EU 3 negotiating under the illusion that they have had a restraining influence in Iran’s planning reveals that the West will never be any threat to Iran. Perhaps privately the West realizes that the main response has got to come through Moscow and that the negotiation process bought some time for Russia.
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