Tuesday, the six world powers (among thirty-five nations) meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency failed to issue
a joint resolution condemning Iran's ongoing nuclear testing, after China and Russia failed to back the US. The result casts doubts on the West's ability to successfully negotiate with Iran before
sanctions or other punitive measures are undertaken by the US. It's also a disappointment to US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and the Bush administration, which has been pressuring Iran for months. Iran is open to talks with the West, but only on its own terms. Likewise, the US is also making demands of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government before agreeing to any
negotiations. The sticking point for Americans is uranium. The US demands that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment program before any talks. Iran refuses. Its negotiators insisted on no preconditions in advance to discussions with Western representatives. They also issued their own demands that European Union diplomats said were quickly dubbed unacceptable. Among these were a guarantee that sanctions against Iran not be sought and that the United Nations Security Council would no longer deal with issues involving the country. Iran also asked for assurances the nation would not be attacked by the US while also requesting recognition for its right to enriched uranium. In return, Iran promised freer oversight of its nuclear facilities by IAEA inspectors. For now, the US seeks to use the tool of economic pressure as its main instrument against Iran. Iranian banks, and European banks that did business with Iran, have been targets of the US pressure campaign. This is seen by some as a preview of the possible imposition of sanctions by the American government - a course which other world powers seem reluctant to follow. Despite the tensions, Iranian sources believe the country will eventuall move ahead with negotiations and that Ahmadinejad's aggressive stance is partially intended to accrue political benefits with the Iranian electorate.