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New plan from Iran

In 'open letter,' an Iranian official suggests ways to resolve nuclear crisis, but U.S. dismisses it

BY MOHAMAD BAZZI | Newsday Middle East Correspondent

May 11, 2006

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Iran's former top nuclear negotiator yesterday offered a new blueprint for resolving the showdown over his country's atomic program.

In an "open letter" published by Time magazine on its Web site, Hassan Rohani said Tehran would consider allowing surprise inspections of its nuclear development sites and accept limits on its ability to enrich uranium. Rohani's offer came two days after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent an 18-page letter to President George W. Bush that criticized U.S. policies for everything from the Iraq war to poverty in Africa.

Rohani's offer could be an attempt by a more moderate faction in the Iranian regime to reach out to the United States, which is weary of dealing with Ahmadinejad and his hard-line supporters, analysts say.

"Instead of Ahmadinejad's 18-page treatise on religion and politics, Rohani has presented a concise, coherent way to solve the impasse," said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, a think tank that focuses on conflict resolution. "A segment of the Iranian leadership is amenable to solving differences with the United States. But they know that Ahmedinajed is not the best interlocutor."

U.S. officials appeared to dismiss Rohani's overture. "We've seen it," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "I think there really isn't anything new in it."

Rohani, who is currently a member of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, led his country's nuclear negotiations team until Ahmadinejad was elected president last year. Rohani is a protege of former Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani, who lost to Ahmadinejad. Rohani is also close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader.

In his letter to Bush, Ahmadinejad did not propose ways to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions and did not explain Iran's long-term plans. By contrast, Rohani offered concrete steps that Iran would take to avoid United Nations sanctions. He began his essay by summarizing the political ramifications of Iran having nuclear bombs: "A nuclear-weaponized Iran destabilizes the region, prompts a regional arms race, and wastes the scarce resources in the region."

Rohani said Iran is willing to fix loopholes in the international nuclear monitoring system that allow countries to hide a weapons program under the guise of peaceful nuclear development.

Iran insists that all its activities are legal and that it wants to develop technology for nuclear energy - not weapons. But the United States and Europe say Tehran is secretly developing an arms program.

In its first move on the issue, the UN Security Council adopted a statement March 29 calling on Iran to end its uranium enrichment - a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors or material for bombs - and to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN arm that tries to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. The statement, which was approved by all 15 council members, is not legally binding and did not refer to any consequences if Iran failed to comply.

There are persistent divisions among the five veto-wielding council members about using economic sanctions or military action to force Iran to end its uranium enrichment. The United States, France and Britain are calling for tough measures, such as sanctions, while Russia and China insist there is not yet evidence to show that Iran poses a threat to international security.