More Iran Panic: A follow up discussion with the forum participants:

Jacqueline Shire: Recent statements by former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati and current foreign minister Manoucher Mottaki indicating that Iran might accept what has come to be known as a freeze-for-freeze arrangement (where the UN Security Council freezes sanctions and Iran freezes at least centrifuge installation if not actual enrichment) for six or so weeks would be a giant step in the current climate (ABC News reports that Israel may be getting serious about a strike before 2009, etc.). It would really take the air out the tension hanging over the issue and provide a context in which a longer-term strategy could be cobbled together.

So my hopes are high. I try not to remind myself that we have also been down this road before, though not in a long time; nor do I dwell on a nagging suspicion that it might prove awfully difficult to actually get the cascades at Natanz to fall silent, or that the White House may reject the installation-freeze as inadequate, or that Iran won't want to be seen as caving to Israeli saber rattling (though Velayati seemed to address this when he referred to the "traps" that Iran's enemies want it to fall into). So I'm very glass-is-half full right now.

Go read.

Posted by Laura at July 3, 2008 09:09 AM