The US administration backed by European Union support is seeking to advance a dialogue with Iran, offering a freeze for a freeze plan in which Iran halts nuclear enrichment development in exchange for Western countries holding off in additional sanctions. The deal will also compel Iran to permit spot checks of its nuclear facilities by UN inspectors. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the White House has set a target of early October to determine progress or the need to shift to stepped-up sanctions.

Both President Barak Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stressed gestures towards an expanded dialogue are not open-ended and the window of opportunity is limited, promising stiffer economic sanctions. The new American administration hopes if both China and Russia will support increased sanctions, which they were unwilling to do under the previous administration; the increased sanctions can indeed achieve their goal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)