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Reality Check for Iran Nuclear Talks

(CNN) Geneive Abdo - With the beginning of nuclear talks with Iran, it is useful to examine Israel's long-term objectives for a bit of a reality check. During a recent trip to Israel, where I met government officials, one issue became clear: for many in the Israeli government, Iran has already crossed the red line. Unless Iran halts all enrichment and dismantles its nuclear program, the diplomatic process is irrelevant to many Israeli officials. The Israelis are not willing to wait for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to make the political decision to move toward developing a nuclear weapon; by then, it is too late. This is a major point of difference between Israel and the U.S. and the EU - one which the nuclear talks will not resolve. Iran demands the right to a nuclear program, including enrichment. But the Israelis will accept only the long-standing P5+1 position of no enrichment. The Israelis have little or no trust in Iran and believe that while inspections might address the part of Iran's nuclear program that is visible, they wouldn't do much to monitor nuclear technology the Iranians may have hidden from the international community. The writer is director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute in Washington.
2012-05-24 00:00:00
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