BICOM

Speaking ahead of the latest round of international talks with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran must not be allowed to use negotiations to buy time for continued uranium enrichment.

During a visit by Norway’s Foreign Minister to Israel, Netanyahu said, “This model of a country talking, but at the same time developing nuclear weapons; threatening and at the same time developing nuclear weapons and threatening the use of nuclear weapons, we cannot allow this to happen in Iran.”

Talks between Iran and the P5+1 powers – United States, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany – to find a diplomatic resolution over Tehran’s nuclear programme, are set to continue in Kazakhstan on Friday. The two sides met at the same venue in February, where it is believed a proposal was made by P5+1 representatives under which sanctions could be eased on Iranian gold and other precious metals. In return, Iran would interrupt activities at the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, where twenty per cent enriched uranium is being produced, just a small step from weapons grade material.

P5+1 leaders expect to receive a response to their proposal during Friday’s talks. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who oversees P5+1 contact with Iran, yesterday expressed cautious optimism. During a visit to Turkey she said, “I look forward to what I hope will be a successful meeting in [Kazakhstan’s capital] Almaty and I really do hope that Iran will now… consider the proposal we put on the table and respond to it.”