Former Israeli Intel Chief Says Deal Allowing Iran Civilian Uranium Enrichment Is ‘Reasonable’

BY BEN ARMBRUSTER

The former head of Israel’s military intelligence said in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published online on Tuesday evening that an agreement with Iran on its nuclear program that would allow it some capabilities to enrich uranium for civilian purposes would amount to a “reasonable” deal.

Former Israeli Defense Forces intel chief Gen. Amos Yadlin, who is now the director of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, and Avner Golov, a researcher at the institute, write that an ideal agreement would involve Iran completely dismantling its nuclear program and ceasing all enrichment. “A less good, but still reasonable, agreement,” they add, “would be a compromise that meticulously addresses the critical elements of Iran’s nuclear program. Iran would retain its right to enrich uranium, but only to a low 3.5%-5% nonmilitary grade.” In addition, the authors say that such a “reasonable” deal would include more intrusive inspections, and the closing of two controversial nuclear facilities and Arak and Fordow:

This agreement would put clear limits on Iran’s centrifuges. The country, which currently has more than 19,000, would be allowed to keep a small, symbolic number to prove that Iran has the presumptive right to enrich for nonmilitary purposes. It would also cap the amount of enriched material, which the International Atomic Energy Agency would oversee. To ensure this, Iran would have to re-sign and implement the additional protocol, which would enable the IAEA to carry out much more thorough inspections. The Iranians would also have to guarantee that the Arak reactor is not functional. Fordow would be closed, and all Iranian nuclear activity would have to be carried out at Natanz. Last, the transformation to fuel rods would be done outside of Iran to ensure that the Iranians won’t ever be able to use the enriched uranium for a bomb in case they abandon the agreement in the future.

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http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/10/16/2787241/yadlin-iran-deal-enrichment/