India to Pay for 45 Percent of Oil Imports in Rupees

India has signed an agreement with Iran to pay for 45 percent of its oil imports in rupee, or equivalent of $4 billion annually. A 70-member Indian delegation visiting Tehran on Saturday was discussing with Iranian officials what products India could send to Iran in exchange for the $4 billion account [IRNA, 10 March].

The two sides did not disclose how India would pay for the remaining 55 percent of its oil imports considering the current sanctions that prompted the rupee payment agreement in the first place. It was also not clear how the crude oil prices, quoted in dollar, would be calculated in rupee considering the Indian control over its currency exchange rates.

Simin Daneshvar, Creator of Suvashun, Dies at 90

Simin Daneshvar, a leading novelist, writer and intellectual died on Thursday in Tehran at the age of 90. She was the first female novelist in Iran and a towering figure in contemporary Persian litrature. Daneshvar’s masterpiece, Suvashun, was published in 1969, receiving wide literary acclaims as a seminal work of modern Persian fiction.

Photo: iranchamber.com

Netanyahu: Iran Strike Won't Come in Days, But Not Matter of Years

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said today in Tel Aviv that an attack on Iran is not a foregone conclusion and he "hopes pressure on Iran will work," but he added not striking Iran may endanger Israel’s existence.

"I hope that the pressure on Iran will work and we can peacefully convince them to tear down their nuclear program," Netanyahu told Israel’s TV Channel 2. [Jerusalem Post, 8 March].

The Israeli prime minister added, however, that an attack would not come in "a matter of days or weeks, but it's also not a matter of years."

While visiting the White House earlier this week, Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared to back off from military threats against Iran, instead accepting President Obama’s push to resolve the standoff through the dual track of diplomacy and economic sanctions. His comments today in Tel Aviv reinforce beliefs that his comments in Washington were not a retreat but a tactical acceptance of diplomacy/sanctions dual track for a period of time measured in months.

Major Powers Call on Iran to Conduct “Serious” Negotiations; Demand Access to Parchin

The US, China, Russia, France, UK and Germany, known as the P5+1, issued a joint statement today calling on Iran to take their upcoming talks on the country’s nuclear program “seriously” and demanded that IAEA inspectors to be given full access Parchin military base, a suspected site for research and development on nuclear weapons.

"We call on Iran to enter, without preconditions, into a sustained process of serious dialogue, which will produce concrete results," said the statement from the P5+1. The statement also urged Iran to "fulfil its undertaking to grant access to Parchin.” [AFP, 8 March].

The major powers added that their readiness to negotiate was "on the understanding that these talks will address the international community's long-standing concerns and that there will be serious discussions on concrete confidence building measures."

IAEA chief Amano on Monday appeared to allege that Iran was removing evidence at Parchin, saying "activities" spotted by satellite "makes us believe that going there sooner is better than later."

Major Powers Divided Over Iran Nuclear Program

Russia and China Block IAEA Statement

Russia and China have blocked IAEA from issuing a statement condemning Iran for defying UN Security Council resolutions demanding it end uranium enrichment and expand its cooperation with IAEA inspectors probing suspected nuclear weapon work in the country. The United States, Britain, France and Germany were seeking a joint statement of the 35-nation board of governors of IAEA. The Russians and Chinese were instead asking for a more moderate language on Iran. The board meeting was adjourned after three days of deliberations without issuing a resolution.

The inability of the IAEA meeting to produce a united front on Iran’s nuclear program undermines the effectiveness of the talks scheduled in the near future between the six powers and Iran and the possibility of a quick diplomatic solution to the standoff.

Meanwhile, the French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe expressed skepticism of the Western powers about Iran’s readiness to compromise over its nuclear program.

"I think Iran is continuing to use double speak," Juppe said. "That's the reason why we must remain extremely firm on the sanctions we have decided upon, which are from my point of view the best way to avoid a military option, which could have immeasurable consequences." [AP, 7 March].

Source: AP and Reuters, 7 March 2012

Six Powers, Iran to Resume Nuclear Talks

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced today that six world powers and Iran will resume their talks on the country’s disputed nuclear program. The announcement came after Russia called for a resumption of face-to-face dialogue as soon as possible, saying an Iranian letter last month showed it was now ready for serious negotiations. Iran chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili wrote to Ashton in February saying Iran wanted to reopen negotiations and offering to bring new initiatives to the table [Reuters, 6 March].

The Iranian authorities have also announced today that they will grant IAEA inspectors access to Parchin military complex that has been suspected to be a nuclear weapon R&D center.

Iran to Allow IAEA Access to Parchin Military Complex

Iran said today it will allow IAEA inspectors access to its military complex at Parchin in a gesture of good will. The IAEA inspectors were unable to visit the site during their previous two visits to Iran this year. The IAEA suspects secret research and development work related to nuclear weapons has been carried out at Parchin. Iran has consistently denied the existence of a military dimension to its nuclear program.

Source: ISNA, 6 March 2012.