Israel Easing Terms for Iran Nuclear Enrichment

Israel may be showing more flexibility on the issue of  Iran’s continuing low-level uranium enrichment, unidentified officials in Jerusalem told the daily Ha’aretz a day before Tehran and the P5+1 powers met for a second round of nuclear negotiations. Israel has publicly expressed two stances on low-level enrichment – a zero-tolerance policy articulated by prime Minster Binyamin Netanyahu and a softer approach by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who would countenance Iran’s continuing enrichment of uranium to 3.5 percent and allow a few hundred kilograms of it to remain in the country. A senior Israeli source said Barak’s remarks may now represent the new Israeli position. That could be critical as the P5 + 1 seek an interim agreement, under which Iran would stop enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent, effectively suspending work at the underground facility in Fordo, and would give up the 20-percent-enriched uranium it already has. In return, the six powers would cease efforts to impose new sanctions on Iran.