With Iran still resisting a freeze on its nuclear activities, the P-5 + 1 have decided to set yet another deadline --the fourth in as many months-- in hopes that Iran will finally agree to terms paving the way for substantive talks on its nuclear program.
Under the plan, reached by Secretary Rice and her counterparts over a late-night dinner Tuesday, Iran will have until early October to agree to suspend its nuclear activities as the negotiations take place, diplomats said. At the meeting, Rice backed off the U.S. demand that the Security Council begin imposing sanctions over Iran's failure to meet previous deadlines.
Originally, the P-5 + 1 offered to discuss an array of incentives with Iran if it froze its uranium enrichment program and demanded an answer by the end of June. That slipped to July, and then the end of August was set as the deadline in a Security Council resolution. American officials believe the deadline of the first week of October is firm, but at least one European diplomat suggested the possibility of slippage remains.
Originally, Iran was told that no talks could start until it suspended the nuclear program. Officials are discussing a change in sequence that would have talks begin without the U.S., then having Iran declare its willingness to suspend its program at the same time that action in the Security Council is halted, and then having the U.S. join the talks once the suspension is verified. Rice has said that she would attend the first meeting as the U.S. representative to the talks.
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