United States to hold on on Fresh Sanctions on Iran to Give Room for Diplomacy

The US Senate is weighing a new round of fresh sanctions against Iran following the passage in July of a House bill that would seek to further cut Iran's oil exports by another one million barrels a day for the next year to almost zero according to reported estimates. The legislation also vows military force against Iran should they defy orders not to pursue a nuclear weapon. Wendy Sherman warned during the hearing that the current government shutdown is curtailing the government's ability to oversee the existing sanctions. "Our ability to do that, to enforce sanctions, to stop sanction evaders, is being hampered significantly by the shutdown," according to Sherman.

RT reports that the top US State Department official urged members of Congress to hold onto fresh sanctions against Iran to give President Barack Obama's administration time to assess the new conciliatory tone from the Iranian government. "Let me assure you that we will continue to vigorously enforce the sanctions that are in place as we explore a negotiated resolution, and will be especially focused on sanctions evasion and efforts by the Iranians to relieve the pressure," Wendy Sherman, undersecretary of state for political affairs, said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

Sherman asked lawmakers to at least wait until US and Iranian officials meet in Geneva in mid-October (15th and 16th ) before moving forward with more sanctions. Sherman is leading the US delegation in talks with Iran. The UK, Germany, France, Russia, and China will also participate in the Geneva talks, although direct Iran-US meetings are expected be the most important of the negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu had said the that overtures from Rouhani are from a "wolf in sheep's clothing." This is having a great influence on the conservatives in the House.

The US, United Nations, and European Union have all joined to press Iran with punitive sanctions for what they say are measures to curb Tehran's nuclear weapons programme. Iran counters the claims, saying that it simply aims to produce and use nuclear energy. The sanctions in place have devastated the Iranian economy, cutting oil exports in half while causing crippling inflation and high unemployment. Yet new President Hassan Rouhani has recently expressed a desire to reconcile with US officials, marking the possibility of new relations between the countries.

Sanctions on Iranian oil exports, shipping, and insurance businesses are biting on the economy of Tehran and costing the Islamic Republic billions in revenue each month. Existing measures already pressure countries including China, India, and Japan to reduce importing Iranian oil by threatening to block their banks from the US financial system. Recently, political prisoners wrote to President Obama about the sanctions with a view to advising him to explore the peaceful avenue the Rouhani government represents. Tehran also released numerous political prisoners whom Washington called 'prisoners of conscience'. This act also sent a kind of goodwill message to the White House.

On the Road to Kazakhstan: Iran Discovers More Uranium Sites

As Iran prepares for talks over its disputed atomic programme, it said on Saturday it had found significant new deposits of raw uranium and identified sites for 16 more nuclear power stations.

State news agency IRNA quoted a report by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) which said the reserves were discovered in northern and southern coastal areas and had trebled the amount outlined in previous estimates.

"We have discovered new sources of uranium in the country and we will put them to use in the near future," Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the AEOI, was quoted as saying at Iran's annual nuclear industry conference.

The announcement could be deciphered as Iran's strategy to bolster its negotiation power at talks in Kazakhstan on Tuesday with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. by talking up its reserves and nuclear ambitions, may hope

Diplomats say the six powers, known as the P5+1, are set to offer Iran some relief from international sanctions if it agrees to curb its production of higher-grade enriched uranium.

The West says Iran's enrichment of uranium to a fissile purity of 20 percent demonstrates its intent to develop a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation the Islamic republic denies.

Iran's reserves of raw uranium now stood at around 4,400 tonnes, taking into account discoveries over the past 18 months, IRNA quoted the report as saying.

In another sign that Iran is intent on pushing forward with its nuclear ambitions, the report also said 16 sites had been identified for the construction of nuclear power stations.

The exact locations was not specified but they included coastal areas of the Gulf, Sea of Oman, Khuzestan province and the Caspian Sea.

Iranian authorities have long announced their desire to build more nuclear power plants for electricity production. Only one currently exists, in the southern city of Bushehr, and that has suffered several shutdowns in recent months.

The announcements could further complicate the search for a breakthrough in Kazakhstan, after three unsuccessful rounds of talks between the two sides in 2012.

In what Washington has called a provocative move, Iran is also installing new-generation centrifuges, capable of producing enriched uranium much faster, at a site in Natanz in the centre of the country.

Western diplomats say the Six-power will reiterate demands for the suspension of uranium enrichment to a purity of 20 percent, the closure of Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, increased access for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and agreement to address concerns on existing uranium stockpiles.

In return, the latest embargoes on gold and metals trading with Iran would be lifted. Iran has criticized the offer and says its rights need to be fully recognized. Suggestions were earlier made that Iran transfers its enriched uranium to Russia and in return it gets tghe 20% purity needed for medical isotopes.

"If the Six-power group wants to start constructive talks with Tehran it needs to present a valid proposal," said Jalili. "It needs to put its past errors to one side ... to win the trust of the Iranian nation." Ayatollah Khameini had earlier rejected direct talks with Washington saying "it is holding a gun against Iran."

In a statement issued before the Iranian announcement, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the Six-power group wanted to enter a 'substantial negotiation process' over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Will Iran Ease Up?

Tehran is prepared to ease Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for pledges about the country's ability to enrich uranium, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

Ramin Mehmanparast said that an important "opportunity" awaits next week's talks in Kazakhstan between Iran and six world powers, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.

“We will offer ways for removing possible concerns and ambiguities to show our goodwill, if Western countries, especially the US, fully recognise the nuclear rights of countries, which shows their goodwill,” Mehmanparast said. Same-level mutual actions can be followed by Iran to reach an "understanding point," he added.

This declaration is likely not to yield any meaningful result because one of the cogent conditions to make Washington listen is for Iran to allow full access of the UN Nuclear Watchdog, IAEA into its facilities, a move Iran resents.

Iran continues to reiterate that her Nuclear Programme is completely for peaceful means; medical research for isotopes while the West with the interest of Israel at heart believes she wants to produce nuclear weapons.

Israel Condemns Diplomacy with Iran

                

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu heads the weekly cabinet meeting in his office in Jerusalem.

A powerful partner of Israel's prime minister says sanctions and negotiations will not stop Iran from pursuing its disputed nuclear programme.

Former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says North Korea's nuclear test was an "obvious example" of diplomacy failing to curb a nuclear programme.

Lieberman told Army Radio on Wednesday that "anyone who thinks sanctions or negotiations will stop Iran is wrong."

Iran, like North Korea, is under stiff sanctions and negotiations with the West over its nuclear program have stalled.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu often hints about a possible strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Lieberman stepped down from his post two months ago after he was indicted for breach of trust in a fraud and money-laundering case. But he remains a powerful lawmaker and Netanyahu's top political ally.

Lieberman has also reiterated that there can never be any peace accord with Palestinians since the last one signed in 1993. Lieberman is a complete hardliner.

President Obama is set to visit Israel. His visit will surely focus on Iran, peace with Palestine and the Syrian crisis.