World powers tell Iran to answer quickly on nuclear talks

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FRANKFURT, Germany — Following their meeting in Frankfurt on September 2, the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council (the U.S., Russia, China, France, the U.K.) and Germany (the P5+1) sent a fresh warning to Iran to quickly agree to talks on the country's nuclear program or face tougher economic sanctions.

They issued a statement calling on Iran to accept the renewal of negotiations that the international community has been asking for since April, before the UN General Assembly meets on September 23.

If Tehran does not agree to talks by then, it risks the imposition of another round of economic sanctions, that this time will deeply damage the Iranian economy.

The German spokesman for the P5+1 also responded to the statement by Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili that the nation has prepared an updated nuclear proposal and is ready to discuss it with international powers. German Foreign Ministry Political Director Volker Stanzel, acknowledged Jalili's comments, but noted that the P5+1 have given Iran only three weeks to respond officially to their warning.

Some analysts contended that Jalili's statement was a classic delay tactic designed to change international public opinion, and perhaps persuade Russia and China, major commercial partners for Iran, that Tehran is being cooperative.

However, others assert Jalili was addressing a domestic audience and should be heard in the context of Iran's bitter internal political struggles. His remarks have "less to do with addressing international public opinion and more to do with the far right in Iran and the people around Ahmadinejad," said Middle East analyst for Jane’s Information Group Alex Vatanka. "They want to make sure the nuclear issue does not become a chain around their necks."

Ahmadinejad is determined to silence the opposition. To this end, Ahmadinejad has sought to avoid the nuclear issue, which would explain Jalili's statement. "Until he has a free hand, he has to be sure the nuclear issue is not used against him," Vatanka says.

[Reuters/Al-Arabiya]