Iran ready to talk? On their own terms, perhaps.

Is Iran really ready to talk about its nuclear program? Well, their message to Kofi Annan suggests they are, as the Washington Post reports today. President Ahmedinejad has said repeatedly Iran will not stop enrichment, as the UN Security Council has demanded. However, Un Secretary General Kofi Annan was told that the Iranians are ready to discuss the future of Iran's nuclear program, but that they won't stop enriching uranium as a pre-condition. Why would they? It's the strongest card in their hand. Although, as the Washington DC-based NGO ISIS reported last week, the card may not be as strong as the Iranian government would have everyone believe.

As the ISIS report says "Iran has made limited progress at its Natanz uranium enrichment plant, installing and operating fewer gas centrifuges than expected. Senior Vienna-based diplomats have confirmed to ISIS that Iran may be either delaying deliberately the pace of its work while diplomatic efforts are underway, or is experiencing technical problems with its centrifuge program."

This would be good news if correct, because either it signals an Iranian willingness to deal with the IAEA or an inability to force their enrichment program forward would would leave them no option but to talk. Either way, it should be bad news for the hawks in Washington DC who see their way out of their current mess in Iraq as an attack on Iran.

EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana will meet Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani this week, and EU foreign ministers meeting this weekend agreed to allow two more weeks for "clarification" and for talks to proceed before going back to the UN for more action. They could do little else, with few European nations having the stomach for a confrontation with Iran, and with the Russians signaling their opposition to significant sanctions against Tehran. (See here)

That the wider international community hasn't rushed headlong into a economic or even military stand-off with Iran is to be welcomed. There are years left to resolve this situation satisfactorily, and if Iran is really willing to cooperate with the IAEA they should be given the necessary time to do so. However, allowing them time can't mean allowing them time to develop the bomb, that would be unacceptably dangerous. This is a difficult balancing act, but for the moment caution should reign. If we can get past the Bush presidency with the Iranians still talking to the international community, perhaps the next US President will be man enough to talk.