In trying to get the European Union to the table with a plan to save the
nuclear deal, Iran has been escalating their civilian program to try to
raise pressure on the EU to do so in a timely fashion. The latest “deadline” set by Iran is this Friday.
Iranian officials say, then, that they’re going to improve their centrifuge technology for enriching uranium,
and will also extend out the deadline another two months. This is being
presented as a “violation” by some, though as with previous moves by
Iran, it is only a violation in a very technical sense, and being done
purely for diplomatic leverage.
France has been trying to come up with plans on the deal, in particular
trying to sell the US on a plan to offer Iran a line of credit, though
indications are that the US is opposed to the idea.
It’s not clear what the other options are at this point, as US control
over banking has so far left the EU unable, or at least unwilling, to
ensure that trade with Iran continues to flow when the US doesn’t want
it to.
Iran Talks of Improved Uranium Centrifuges, Raising Pressure for Deal
Officials give EU two more months to save nuclear deal
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.
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