P5+1 Irked as Iran Proposes Far-Reaching Peace Plan

Instead of One-Off Deal Iran Seeks 'Final' Settlement

The P5+1 proposal to remove a trivial amount of sanctions against Iran in return for the Iranian government mothballing much of its civilian nuclear program has been met by a counter-proposal today, with Iran pushing a broader, long-term deal.

Iran had been reluctant to accept the deal, fearing that they would have no bargaining chips to ever see the bulk of the sanctions removed, and is now pushing the initial pact as the start of a broad series of measures on both sides envisioning a final settlement.

P5+1 officials are reportedly “puzzled” by the proposal to actually settle the matter, as opposed to setting the stage for years of additional meetings and threats. They also seem likely to shoot down the proposal, saying there is a “wide gulf” between Iran’s vision and theirs.

Iranian officials say their proposal is important in that it seeks “specific plans” and a practical solution for the long-term dispute. They also say they want a deal wherein the Western nations in the P5+1, particularly the US, formally recognize their right to a civilian nuclear program.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.