Iran's Slippery Nuclear Slope

Under heavy European pressure and a threat to refer the Iranian nuclear issue to the UN Security Council, Iran has backed down — at least temporarily. In late November, Iran and the British, French and German governments concluded an agreement regarding Iran’s suspected nuclear activities. According to that agreement, Iran will suspend all its enrichment activities, especially “œthe manufacture and import of gas centrifuges and their components; the assembly, installation, testing or operation of gas centrifuges; work to undertake any plutonium separation; or to construct or operate any plutonium separation; and all tests or production at any uranium conversion installation.” The suspension will remain in effect while negotiations on a new long-term agreement continue between the European governments and Iran. Those negotiations will begin in December 2004 and will cover nuclear, technological, economic and security issues. Meanwhile, Iran has announced that the suspension has begun and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that announcement.