ARTICLE: Iranian conservatives, reformers denounce Ahmadinejad's harsh rhetoric on nuclear program, By Ali Akbar Dareini, ASSOCIATED PRESS, February 26, 2007
My growing sense is that Iran's conservatives are more willing to deal than we realize. Bush gets credit for the pressure, but where is his Zoellick or Hill on the subject?
I think a variety of deals are possible, but short of some treaty-like guarantee on non-attack, I expect Iran to hold strong on the nuke program in such a way that they end up with a Japanese-like latent capacity to go short-term on development of weaponry. We get them to go no further than that (meaning they would still own their own fuel) for the right package, and a decent detente-like process for the region (tempering Iran's ties with both Saudi Arabia and Israel) would be in the offing.
That's why I push the OSCE-like forum. Bush's Big Bang strategy can still yield some great stuff if this administration would employ the same thought processes to the region as it seems to be doing in East Asia.
Thanks to Nathan M for sending this.
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