Iran nuclear talks: west demands closure of Fordo underground facility

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/08/iran-nuclear-talks-west-demands


Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, tours a nuclear research reactor in Tehran. Photograph: AP

The US and Europe are to demand that Iran dismantle its fortified underground nuclear facility and halt higher-grade uranium enrichment at a new round of talks this week as a condition for lifting sanctions and the threat of a military attack – demands that Tehran swiftly denounced as "irrational".

Barack Obama has reiterated that Washington is prepared to accept Tehran maintaining a peaceful nuclear power programme, but at the same time the White House is becoming more explicit in warning that the negotiations beginning in Istanbul on Friday are "perhaps a last chance" for diplomacy to work.

Diplomats say Iran will be pressed by the permanent UN security council members plus Germany, known as the P5+1, to shut its underground nuclear facility at Fordo, to stop enriching uranium to 20%, and to hand over the estimated 100kg of uranium already enriched to that level.

The demands match those made by Binyamin Netanyahu at a White House meeting last month at which Obama pressed the Israeli prime minister to hold off from a military attack on Iran and give sanctions and diplomacy an opportunity to work. Britain and France are also pushing for Iran to dismantle those parts of its nuclear programme that could be used for weapons.

[Poll_Blind]

1. It is an irrational demand. Iran and any other country has the right to enrich up to 20%

FYI, anything enriched above 20% is classified as "Highly enriched" uranium. Sub 20% is used for nuclear power plants and research reactors. In comparison, a first world nuclear power needs over 100 lbs of highly-enriched (85% or greater) uranium for a nuclear bomb.

These sort of demands by the US fuel speculation that the US and Israel have a plan to attack Iran no matter what and so will continually demand more and more until the Iranians "Kick out the U.N. inspectors" in Iraq War speak.

PB

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2. i think this conflict is written stone.

for the longest time i thought -- no way would the U.S. let Israel hit Iran -- now i'm not so sure.

i still think the U.S. would rather do it -- but timing is everything.

[leveymg]

3. That does seem to be the script that we follow.

[CandymanTrue]

4. New nuclear state is coming

Beware! US thought that Iran would be most horrible nuclear power threatening to American security. In fact Washington should pay more attention at the activity of another country neighbor to Iran. For instance at Erdogan's announcement that Iran's nuclear program is not aimed at "military ends". And at the same time Turkish Prime Minister blamed Israel for using nuclear weapons against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Jewish intention deliver a nuclear blow to Iran.
For sure Iran - Turkey relations could be characterized as friendship. And Turkey's going to develop its own nuclear program. They've already got a construction programme of nuclear power plant construction. Turks are trying hard to hash down gossip. But I know several people working in joint construction firm in Turkey who saw those plans with their own eyes. It turns out that Iran is gathering its own coalition against US future invasion. That might end up as new nuclear confrontation. And "cold war" would seem to be children's game against it. For this time there would be much more fanatical and desperate Moslems against lazy and fattening America. And the opportunity of WW III beginning is much more possible. Moreover Turkey is recognized established leader in the Moslem world.
Be prepared to catastrophic consequences of the White House rash politics.