WASHINGTON – The Bush administration reversed course Friday, joining European Union members in a new carrot-and-stick approach to Iran’s suspected nuclear arms program.
The carrot: The administration that once opposed “rewarding bad behavior” will drop its objections to European economic assistance to Iran, providing it forswears nuclear weapons.
The stick: Should Iran balk, the Europeans will join the United States in going to the U.N. Security Council for sanctions.
President Bush, who made Iran a central focus of his trip last month to Europe, said he is pleased that the United States and its European allies are speaking with “one voice” on the issue.
“I look forward to working with our European friends to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that the free world will not tolerate them having a nuclear weapon,” the president said during a Social Security talk in Louisiana.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who announced details of the deal Friday, said, “The Iranians have an obligation to demonstrate that they are not trying, under cover of civilian nuclear power development, to develop a nuclear weapon.”
Iranian officials have repeatedly said their nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes. They have accused the Bush administration of trumping up charges to deny Iran any nuclear technology at all.
As part of the deal announced Friday, the United States will drop its longstanding objections to an Iranian application to join the World Trade Organization. The administration also agreed to consider, on a case-by-case basis, lifting objections to the sale of spare aircraft parts to Iran.
These concessions are designed solely to support Europe’s diplomatic efforts, Rice said.
“We share the desire of European governments to secure Iran’s adherence to its obligations through peaceful and diplomatic means,” she added.
Those negotiations involve Iran and three EU members, Great Britain, France and Germany.
Some European officials wanted the United States to join the negotiations, saying a united front would help dissuade Iran from seeking nuclear weapons.
The administration said it would assist in the talks but only if the Europeans agreed to the possible use of force should the negotiations fail.
Both sides said they wanted to avoid the political problems that preceded the invasion of Iraq.
In outlining the terms of the deal, Bush administration officials emphasized that they are not joining the negotiations, nor are they offering the economic incentives. They are simply dropping their objections to the Europeans offers, which are contingent on Iranian actions.
“It’s time for Iran to live up to its international obligations,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.
The administration also solicited a statement from the European partners that they shared U.S. concerns about Iran’s record on human rights, democracy and terrorism.
While supporting the EU-Iranian negotiations, some have questioned the likelihood of success.
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“We’ve expressed some skepticism as to whether they will succeed,” an administration official said on condition of anonymity.
One question, analysts said: What would provoke the Europeans to abandon the talks and join the United States in going to the Security Council for sanctions?
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“What will define failure of diplomacy?” said Michael Herzog, a visiting fellow with the Washington Institute For Near East Policy.
American officials said timelines and deadlines are all subject to negotiations.
“Iran is being presented with an opportunity,” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. “We think they should take it now.”
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