Iran Motivated for Nuclear Deal, but Tough Issues Remain

November 18, 2013

As talks between world powers and Iran resume this week on its nuclear program, experts say even hardline factions in the Islamic Republic appear motivated to make a deal. There are still difficult issues to resolve, though, including Iran’s claimed “right” to enrich uranium.

For a while, it seemed like an agreement might be reached in the last round of talks in early November, with foreign ministers involved. That didn’t happen, however, and now lower level officials will to try to bridge the gaps.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif thinks they can succeed. “I think we are all on the same wavelength and that's important and that gives us the impetus to go forward when we meet again next time.”

The issues are difficult. But experts say a first-stage agreement for some limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for easing some economic sanctions is possible, in part because Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, appears to want one.

Gabrielle Rifkind, who heads the Middle East Program at the Oxford Research Group, said, “The Supreme Leader will make a strategic calculation about what is in the best interests of Iran. The Supreme Leader is a very shrewd operator. It’s too easy to say he’s just ideologically rigid. I think he’s actually a lot smarter than that.”