[caption id="attachment_155298" align="alignright" width="222"] Former Iranian nuclear negotiator Sirous Nasseri[/caption]

Excerpts of a speech made by Siroos Nasseri, a former member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, in the conference entitled “New Proposals to Resolve Iran’s Nuclear Dossier”

-Based on the events of the last decade, there is now an opportunity for all elements to work hand in hand for the success of the nuclear program and reach our objectives through an agreement and understanding. There is nothing wrong if the other party reaches part of its objectives too. The important thing is that the Islamic Republic of Iran will reach the objectives which would have long-term advantages and strategic impacts. The conditions are now prepared more than ever before. The present conditions are the best conditions that could be imagined. We have now reached the point of stabilization of our achievements, thus, the following points are necessary to be mentioned:

The first point is that the disputing parties in this issue are now clearly defined. We no longer have to negotiate with China, Russia or Europe. This dispute is between Iran and the US. The other participants in these negotiations play no role or are neutral. Today’s reality shows that Iran and the US, as the main parities to this dispute, are negotiating with each other. This is a very significant point which increases the possibility of reaching an agreement more than ever before.

The second point is the role and depth of the influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region during the last decade. Right now Iran has the upper hand in all regional and extra-regional conflicts and the signs indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran could impact the future of the region as the main player in this critical region. In fact, none of the major issues of this region would be resolved without Iran’s cooperation. It has also become obvious for the US that if peace is to be established in the region, the demands of Iran must, at least, be provided. The depth of Iran’s influence in today’s world is an important factor which would help reach an agreement.

The third point which is not much talked about is the issue of defense. From the first days, the first issue which was discussed was the issue of facing the heavy international offense which was moving towards military confrontation.

Fordow was the ultimate secure point to convince the other party that a military attack would be futile. I believe that it could rightly be said that the establishment of Fordow, with all its technical difficulties and dangers, was one of the most important elements which prevented a possible military attack by the US and its lackey, Israel. Therefore, Fordow must remain active and if the US insists on the military option, more Fordows must be established. This must be clear for the other party because it is a vital issue.

The fourth point is the technical and operational dimension. We have now reached a point where we even have certain amounts of reserved enriched uranium. The other party attempted to stop Iran’s enrichment program but the people’s resistance brought us to a point where it could not be returned.

The fifth point which perhaps is important and is the best opportunity to find a resolution is the political intentions of both parties to reach an agreement. Never before have the viewpoints of the leaders of both countries regarding the future been directed towards reaching an agreement. The President, Secretary of State and the key figures in the US administration seek to reach a deal more than any administration during the last decade. Of course, I do not ignore Israel’s influence and the movements of the Zionist lobbies. But the present US administration and the key personalities attempt to achieve this objective and incidentally they direct the issue towards a point where non-agreement would have heavy consequences for them. The Iranian party has always presented its intention to safeguard its peaceful nuclear program and reach an agreement.

By Iranian Diplomacy