Israel Matzav: Obama on the verge of creating a nuclear Iran

Friday, November 08, 2013

Obama on the verge of creating a nuclear Iran

President Hussein Obama is on the verge of creating a nuclear Iran. All he has to do is to get Congress and Israel to stand down as this 'interim deal' proposed by the ~~United States~~ Obama administration goes through.

Western diplomats and US officials have refused to disclose any details of a “first step agreement”. But a Senate aide, citing briefings from the White House, the State Department and sources in Geneva, said he understood that it would include four key points.

Iran would stop enriching uranium to the 20 per cent level that is close to weapons-grade – and turn its existing stockpile of this material into harmless oxide.

Iran would continue enrichment to the 3.5 per cent purity needed for nuclear power stations – but agree to limit the number of centrifuges being used for this purpose. There would, however, be no requirement to remove or disable any other centrifuges.

Iran would agree not to activate its plutonium reactor at Arak, which could provide another route to a nuclear weapons -capability, during the six-month period. Iran may, however, continue working on the facility.

Iran would agree not to use its more advanced IR-2 centrifuges, which can enrich uranium between three and five times faster than the older model.

In return, American would ease economic sanctions, possibly by releasing some Iranian foreign exchange reserves currently held in frozen accounts. In addition, some restrictions affecting Iran’s petrochemical, motor and precious metals industries could be relaxed.

However, a senior administration official made clear that only “reversible” sanctions would be eased - and they could be re-imposed if Iran were to break any deal.

Israel Radio's 5:00 am newscast described this potential deal as a disaster. Congress feels the same way. And they're not the only ones....

David Albright, the director of the Institute for Science and International Security, a think tank which monitors Iran’s nuclear ambitions, cautioned against an agreement that would not genuinely freeze the programme.

If Iran stopped enrichment to 20 per cent purity and converted its existing stockpile, this would be “nowhere near enough” he said. Any interim agreement would be also undermined if Iran was still able to manufacture centrifuges, including the old IR-1s and the more advanced IR-2Ms.

If so, Iran could then “emerge if the deal fell apart with several thousands IR-1s and IR-2Ms to be deployed rapidly in Natanz, and possibly even a third centrifuge plant,” said Mr Albright. “I think it is quite reasonable to ask Iran to stop centrifuge manufacturing, but I’m not sure the US is going to go there.”

Obama's biggest 'accomplishment' in office is about to become a nuclear Iran.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Catherine Ashton, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, John Kerry, P 5+1, United States Senate