Return to dialogue with Tehran on nuclear power. Price of oil falls
Brussels (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The so-called 5 +1 world powers (U.S., China, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany) have agreed to reopen talks with Iran on its nuclear program. At the same time, Tehran has agreed that the UN inspectors visit a site where it suspects nuclear weapons are being produced. The two moves are in contrast with the atmosphere these days in Washington, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on visit to the country, has reiterated that Israel will never accept a nuclear powered Iran and does not want to live under "the ' shadow of annihilation. " For this he claims Israel's right to decide a military attack without waiting for the opinion of the United States. U.S. President Barack Obama, for his part does not rule out possible military action in the future, but now prefers to give diplomatic action a chance.
The fear of Iran becoming a nuclear power has spread since the '70s, the days of the Shah. Under Khomeini and above all under Khamenei and Ahmadinejad Tehran has been accused of using its nuclear program for the purposes of war . Iran has always denied any ambitions for nuclear weapons and defends the peaceful nature of its program. In recent years many attempts at dialogue between the 5 +1, the UN nuclear agency (the Aieia) and Tehran have had no results.
Catherine Ashton, EU foreign policy chief , responded yesterday to a letter sent in February by Sayed Jalili, the Iranian negotiator, declaring his governments openness to a new series of dialogues.
Last year, the IAEA published a report stating that there was no evidence of nuclear activity, related to a military development. The head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, said two days ago that they have "serious concern" that Iran could be hiding nuclear military activities, particularly in the Parchin military complex, southeast of Tehran.
Just yesterday, Iran gave permission for IAEA inspectors to visit the Parchin site that Tehran is only a second military base and not a nuclear site.
The possibility of new talks led to a fall of 2% of the price of oil. The U.S. and EU have long increased economic sanctions on Tehran. A new set of sanctions (blocking the oil price, barring Iranian bank transactions) was launched by the United States, the EU should be implemented from July 1 this year. But many Asian countries, hungry for power - India, China, Japan, South Korea - are not available to new sanctions and continue to trade with Iran.
According to analysts, it is likely that the dialogue will lead to a softening of sanctions giving breathing space to Tehran, but also to Europe and its energy needs at reasonable prices.
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