World powers to ease sanctions if Iran implements nuclear proposals in six months: Iranian diplomat

TEHRAN,March 11(MNA) – World powers have offered to take the measures necessary to ease the sanctions imposed on Iran if it agrees to implement the proposals put forward in the most recent nuclear talks within six months, according to an Iranian diplomat informed of the negotiations. The most recent round of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on February 26 and 27 during which the two sides agreed to meet again at the same venue on April 5 and 6. Iran and the six major powers also agreed to meet at expert level in Istanbul on March 18. The unnamed diplomat said, “The 5+1 proposal is not new in spirit, but several new points have been stated in it. In the past, it had been stated in their proposals that the Fordo nuclear facility should be closed completely and that the (International Atomic Energy) Agency’s cameras should be installed in all sections of the facility in such a way that they can directly monitor and control the facilities from Vienna.” “In addition, they demanded that (stocks of) 20 percent uranium be shipped out of the country to a third country under the supervision of the agency and demanded that Iran’s other nuclear activities, including the manufacture of centrifuges and their parts be halted. But this time, they backed down from their previous proposal and stated, ‘Do not shut down the Fordo nuclear facility, and the cascades that currently produce 20 percent uranium can continue to operate’,” he stated. He added, “In the new proposal, they stated, ‘If the produced 20 percent uranium meets the Tehran reactor’s demand, (enriched uranium) more than the required amount should not be produced, and the agency should confirm that you (Iran) have converted the materials into fuel rods and that they have been used in the process. If there are (stocks of) 20 percent uranium more than what is required, they should be shipped to a third country under the supervision of the agency for a temporary period of six months so that if other issues are resolved after six months – and we try to make it happen – a final agreement will be reached, and we will implement it.’” “They said that if the stated measures are taken by Iran voluntarily within six months, they will take certain measures to lift the sanctions. In the first place, the sanctions on (trade in) gold and precious metals will be lifted, and then the petrochemical sanctions and, in the next phase, the banking sanctions will be partially lifted,” the diplomat said, adding that the sanctions imposed upon repairing aircraft and selling spare parts would be lifted in the next stages. Elsewhere in his remarks, the informed source added, “In regard to the manufacture of centrifuges and the related parts, they demanded that these activities be under the direct supervision of the agency and demanded control beyond the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty).” The steps that Iran and the 5+1 group are expected to take are not of “equal weight”, he said, adding, “However, if we compare this proposal with the previous proposals, it is a step forward toward getting closer to the reality. Even one step is important.” “Making the 5+1 proposals of equal weight to the measures that have to be taken in return and correcting the problems in them” will be done at the expert-level meeting, the diplomat added. Asked about the fact that world powers did not say a word about whether they would recognize Iran’s right to enrichment, which is the country’s main demand, he said, “The other side, which was once saying that all of Iran’s nuclear activities are illegal, is now implicitly acknowledging that Iran has the right to enrichment and that it recognizes it.”