Iran: Administration Sees Progress on Nukes

Thomas Omestad, US News & World Report:

The Bush administration and the European Union are making progress on galvanizing international opposition to Tehran's moves toward producing nuclear weapons, contends a senior State Department official who portrays the progress as a "vindication" of U.S. policy toward Iran. Three politically important members of the board of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency are said to have moved closer to the U.S.-European stand against an Iranian enrichment capacity: India, Russia, and China. READ MORE

First, says the official, India sided with the United States and the three EU countries (Britain, France, and Germany) at the IAEA that are leading diplomatic efforts to stop the alleged Iranian weapons programs. India joined them in voting for a measure earlier this fall that criticized Iran for concealing its nuclear activities and kept open the option of referring the issue to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions. Second, says the official, Russia is intensifying its diplomatic push to get Iran to accept a proposal in which all fuel enrichment for Iranian nuclear power plants would take place in Russia. Third, China has subtly shifted from being openly supportive of Iran to standing aside and not playing a role of "spoiler."

Under the leadership of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Washington has also done some shifting of positions — from standing aloof from the EU-3's negotiating with Iran to backing it, albeit without directly participating. The administration will continue to focus on the EU-3 rather than the Security Council as the "agent of action," says the official, who advocated not pushing for sanctions now lest an emerging consensus be lost.

"If you shake the table too hard, it could come apart," said the official.

And despite Iran's public rejection of the Russian proposal, insists the official, the initiative is "not completely lifeless." As for the Iranians, the official adds, "they're not biting yet, but the lure is still in the water."