BICOM

Commenting after two days of nuclear talks between the P5+1 international forum and Iran, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the international community must intensify its efforts to tackle Iran’s nuclear programme.

Netanyahu said yesterday that Iran “doesn’t seem to seek an end to its military nuclear programme.” He commented that “this requires the international community to ratchet up its sanctions and make clear that if this continues there will be also a credible military sanction,” explaining that “no other means will make Iran obey the wishes of the international community.” Israeli officials have repeatedly expressed concerns that Iran is deliberately protracting talks with the international community in order to continue its nuclear activities.

Netanyahu’s comments came after two days of discussions in Kazakhstan, between the P5+1 powers (United States, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany) and Iran on assuaging international concerns over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The two sides agreed to technical talks on 18 March followed by another round of political talks on 5 April, in order to discuss a P5+1 proposal presented this week. Originally, the proposal suggested that some international sanctions could be eased if Iran cease production of twenty per cent enriched uranium, considered just a small step from weapons grade material, ship its current stockpile of such material out of Iran and shut its nuclear plant at Fordow. However, media reports this morning suggest that the eventual P5+1 offer dropped the demand to ship out highly enriched uranium and insisted on just a reduction of activity at Fordow.

Chief Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili commented that the proposal was “more realistic” than previous offers. According to Bloomberg, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who oversees P5+1 contact with Iran, described the offer as “balanced” and “responsive” to Iranian concerns.