The Strengths of Engaging Iran

On the radar: Pressing toward compromise with Iran; No new centrifuges, no new sanctions; Nuclear policy hits bureaucratic resistance; Lavrov wants a guarantee; Interview with Soltanieh; MX missile put to good use; and Iran’s navy dreams big.

September 28, 2011 | Edited by Benjamin Loehrke and Mary Kaszynski

The benefits of engaging Iran - “President Obama's engagement policy has served as an important force multiplier for efforts to pressure the Iranian government,” write Meir Javedanfar and Matt Duss for The Middle East Channel.

--”Keeping the door of negotiations open, while maintaining targeted sanctions, will keep open the space for Iran's leaders to compromise, and keep alive the chances of reaching the best possible scenario for the international community: finding a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear program.”

--”True naiveté is believing that the problem can be adequately addressed through mere rhetorical bluster and threats of force,” note Javedanfar and Duss. http://owl.li/6HlBD

Detail on the Russian proposal with Iran - Russia will not adopt new sanctions against Iran if Iran agrees to stop producing uranium enrichment centrifuges, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CNN. “I believe that if Iran gets a very clear message (that this) is not about regime change but about nonproliferation issues, I believe we have a chance to start these serious discussions.” From Global Security Newswire. http://owl.li/6HlQt

Welcome to Early Warning. Subscribe to our morning email or follow us on twitter.

Robert Norris on the obstacles to nuclear policy change - “So, whether or not, the goals that are outlined in Obama’s Nuclear Posture Review are able to be transformed and implemented and carried out, is something I think is in doubt. It has to do with constituencies, bureaucracies, careers and budgets and a whole host of things that were the driving forces behind the arms race to begin with. And how many of those things are still in place, still operative and resistant to radical changes,” said Norris. Full interview from FAS. http://owl.li/6Hkco (PDF)

Lavrov on BMD, Iran and N. Korea - Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov framed the current Russian position on U.S. missile defenses: “It is not enough to make statements...We need solid legal guarantees that missile defense potential will actually be adequate to the declared objectives and will not disrupt global and regional balances.”

--Lavrov also called for the early resolution “to the nuclear problems of Iran and the Korean Peninsula,” noting, “We see no alternative to their political and diplomatic settlement and take concrete steps to create conditions for the resumption of negotiations.” http://owl.li/6HkiZ

Quote - “Regrettably, the implementation of [U.S.-NATO] missile defense plans is seriously outpacing the dialogue that Russia, the U.S. and NATO have been holding in this area,” said Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov. http://owl.li/6HnBC

Interview with Iran’s IAEA ambassador - Iranian Amb. Ali Asghar Soltanieh discussed negotations with Russia, efforts for greater transparency, and NPT rights and responsibilities in an interview with Arms Control Today.

--Soltanieh emphasized that greater transparency with Iran’s nuclear program is contingent on lifting sanctions: “if there is no language of threat, sanctions, or this sort of obsolete policy of carrot and stick, that if the approach is of a logical, civilized request in a very friendly, cooperative environment, then the answer is yes.” http://owl.li/6HiOS

Peacekeeper, satellite-launcher - Instead of using an MX missile to heave nuclear bombs at the Soviets, the U.S. just used one to launch a military communications satellite. "It's an ICBM that we no longer need -- a way to get some use out of one of those old MX missiles. But rather than a warhead, it's got a satellite in the tip," Larry Schuette, director of innovation for the Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR), told FoxNews.com. http://owl.li/6Hkny

This week in Iranian blusters - Iran’s navy chief said Iran will have a naval presence near U.S. maritime borders. When, how and why went unanswered. http://owl.li/6HkkC