Enrichment trail

Iran has once again gone back to scale of enhanced uranium enrichment

Tehran seems to have made a strategic decision to cross the threshold. If reports are to be believed, Iran has once again gone back to the scale of enhanced uranium enrichment. The degree and ratio of new profiling puts it simply months away from being capable of churning out a nuclear bomb. The only consolation is its political pledge that it won’t build a bomb, and its nuclear programme is not weapon-oriented. But all said and done, it is the US that is squarely to be blamed for rupturing an ongoing thaw with its ideological adversary, and pushing it out of parleys that would have solicited a perpetual bilateral peace, and a logical wrapping up of enrichment trail.

The P5+1 deal with Iran was one of the most celebrated international treatises in a polarised arena. Tehran’s sincerity to abide by it was confirmed by IAEA more than once in the last many years, and that indicates that the Islamic Republic is not on the wrong side for the new downturn. It seems being pushed to the wall in terms of a diplomatic snub, as Washington unilaterally walked out of non-proliferation talks, as well as a serious crisis knocking at its door in the form of a war in the Middle East are factors that have influenced the uneasy decision. President Biden must take cognizance and return to the table, rather than trying to capitalise on the fear of an ‘Islamic’ bomb. Tehran too will be better advised to explain its position, and keep its atomic facilities for competent inspections to undo the conspiracy theories doing the rounds.

Uranium-235 back in the news is no good development, and it’s time to rescind any such false-flagging. The region is at the critical stage of seeing escalation in conflict between Gaza and Israel, and Iran by virtue of being a strong player in terms of rallying militias can be misjudged. Tehran’s decision to lift the lid is meant for making the West realise the discrimination against it. The point must be well reciprocated by the US and IAEA, and a comprehensive two-way dialogue initiated. Natanz plant must again go back to the downgraded module, and the landmark 2015 rapprochement deal between Iran and the US must live on.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2023.

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