Iran Bypasses the Latest Proposal

Time and time again, the term “needed negotiation” has been tossed around within the UN. All representatives have repeatedly indicated their eagerness to participate in compromise. However up until this week’s events, the term “negotiation” had always been subject to mere phraseology. Verbal chivalry of all sides; nothing more and nothing less, that is all it has been up until this week’s meeting.

October 19^th was the date in which the long awaited discourse took place. Iran agreed to the proposal offered in 2006 by the 6 world powers for negotiation in Vienna. It has taken us 4 years, and much international antagonistic correspondence, to finally witness the long awaited negotiations.

Interestingly this came after a much frustrated speech by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. She stated that “the international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations”. Enough has been enough, and the clock is ticking. In agreement with Mrs Clinton, the British Foreign Minister David Miliband urged that Iran must start to behave like a “normal country”.

Now what constitutes a normal country is debatable. Such terminology strongly implies the superiority of one state over the other. Denoting that the latter as inferior, irrational and possibly even insane. Undoubtedly such autocratic threats of suggested violence against Iran; by Mrs. Clinton; and the degrading of Iran’s credibility are certainly not offering any practical solutions to the issue at hand.

Nonetheless, with disregard to the international rivalry, a draft proposal was forwarded to Iran during the negotiating discourse. The deal put forward by the Atomic Energy Agency is for Iran to ship 70% of its uranium abroad for enrichment. This consequently eases Western fears about Iran’s potential to make nuclear weapons.

Today however, press releases reveal that Iran dodged the internationally approved proposal, and instead wished for the UN committee to review its own proposal on the issue. Details of Iran’s personal proposal are confidential up until now. Mohammad Reza Bahonar, Deputy Speaker of Iran's parliament said, "They [Western officials] tell us: you give us your 3.5 percent enriched uranium, and we will give you the fuel for the Tehran reactor. It is not acceptable to us."

Examining the cultural context of Iranian society, it is simply considered outrageously obnoxious for one to be told of how to conduct its national and international policy. Evidently, Iran is determined to reach a solution on its own grounds.

This is an Iranian issue, and hence an opportunity must be made for Iran to provide its own input. Iran demands autonomy and trust from the international nations. Passivity to international authority and threat is not an option that Iran is willing to take. Iran demands justice and a liberated, unrepressed say into the matter.