The Trump administration is working toward an arrangement with Iran that would let the country keep a civilian nuclear energy program, according to a report by i24NEWS on Tuesday evening. The outlet cited an individual familiar with the negotiations.
“Iran will be able to maintain a civilian nuclear program for electricity production, such as the reactor in Bushehr, even if it has to completely dismantle its nuclear [weapons] program,” the source stated.
According to the same source, “Trump said that Iran will not have nuclear weapons; military nuclear facilities no, but civilian nuclear yes. Therefore, even if the facilities that contain the centrifuges and enable uranium enrichment have to be destroyed, Iran will be able to retain a civilian nuclear program.”
Officials from Israel told i24NEWS that there is little likelihood that Tehran will agree to a deal modeled after the one that led to the disarmament of Libya’s nuclear program.
In a separate development, President Donald Trump announced yesterday that the United States plans to launch direct negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear weapons ambitions over the coming weekend, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We are having direct talks with Iran. On Saturday we will have a very big meeting and we will see what can happen. I think everybody agrees that a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious, and the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or frankly that anyone here wants to be involved with,” Trump said. He warned of escalating tensions, saying, “The situation is getting to be very dangerous territory. Hopefully, those talks will be successful, and I think it would be in Iran’s best interests if they are.”
As he wrapped up his trip to Washington, Netanyahu emphasized his shared stance with Trump that Iran must never acquire nuclear arms. “This can be done by agreement, but only if this agreement is Libyan style: They go in, blow up the installations, dismantle all of the equipment, under American supervision and carried out by America – this would be good.”
Netanyahu added, “The second possibility, that will not be, is that they drag out the talks and then there is the military option. Everyone understands this. We spoke about this at length.”
{Matzav.com}