Iran announced that it would agree to a two year suspension of industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel on the condition that it be allowed to enrich uranium on a small scale despite demands of the European Union for a 10-year suspension.
"Any moratorium of more than two years on industrial-scale production and any suspension of nuclear research activities will make it difficult to reach a deal," a source revealed, according to Reuters.
However, the United Stated on Monday said that Iran had already "crossed the international red line" by failing to comply with regulations regarding its controversial nuclear program.
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, stated at Monday's meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), "The message of today is going to be to the Iranians: You have gone too far; you have crossed the international red line and engaged in (uranium) enrichment activity which no one wants you to do, and there must be a UN Security Council process to deal with that," according to the AFP.
Many in the west have expressed reluctance to allow for any type of uranium enrichment on the part of Iran, even if proper monitors were to be established.
Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the IAEA, however, expressed hope at Monday's meeting that a resolution to the Iranian nuclear problem could be reached in the near future that would ease western fears about alleged Iranian intentions to obtain nuclear weapons.
A one-month window for such a resolution has already passed though no steps have been taken as a result.
A senior American official called on the international community take steps to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, adding that Washington refused to accept any uranium enrichment on Iran's part.
"It is important for the international community to continue to act and make sure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapons capability," Scott McClellan, a US government spokesman told reporters.
The statements imply that the US would not accept a proposal from Russia offering Tehran use of its soil to enrich uranium to allow for improved monitoring of Iran's nuclear research.
"We will talk with the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, we will talk amongst members of the (UN) Security Council about the way forward to addressing this issue and preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian program," added McClellan.
© 2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
