Calling Their Bluff on Iran

The picture (courtesy of the State Dept.) itself is a coup, the Russians and the Chinese bracketing the group, with Condi and the British Foreign Secretary in the middle. Bloomberg.com:

The U.S., China, Russia and three European powers struck an agreement on ``far-reaching proposals'' aimed at persuading Iran to curtail its nuclear program and end an international standoff, Britain's top diplomat said in Vienna.

``We believe that they offer Iran the chance to reach a negotiated agreement based on cooperation,'' U.K. Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told reporters late today, speaking on behalf of the six governments. ``We are prepared to resume negotiations should Iran resume suspension of all enrichment and reprocessing activities as required by'' United Nations nuclear inspectors.

Here is what Secretary Rice said as a prelude to the announcement of this agreement:

The Iranian people believe they have a right to civil nuclear energy. We acknowledge that right. Yet the international agreements Iran has signed make clear that Iran’s exercise of that right must conform with its commitments. In view of its previous violations of its commitments and the secret nuclear program it undertook, the Iranian regime must persuasively demonstrate that it has permanently abandoned its quest for nuclear weapons.....

Our British, French and German partners have rightly required that Iran fully and verifiably suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities before the sides can return to negotiations. This is the condition that has also been established by the IAEA Board of Governors and by the UN Security Council. The United States is willing to exert strong leadership to give diplomacy its very best chance to succeed.

Thus, to underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and to enhance the prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities, the United States will come to the table with our EU-3 colleagues and meet with Iran’s representatives.

Secretary Rice is calling Iran's bluff---that it wishes the nuclear capabilities for peaceful purposes, and also the EU's, Russia's and China's---that they are serious in stopping Iran from achieving nuclear weapons. I am not very optimistic, but maybe it will work this time. The British have always stood fast with us, but maybe the rest of this group regrets not having stood with us against Iraq, to prevent a war. Maybe Iran's nuclear range would be uncomfortably close. They have been through a few election cycles, and a few more bombings and riots on their soil, and have had to accept a few hard truths about terrorism and its sympathizers. It can't be wished away, and Iran has been a state sponsor of terror for 25 years.

And perhaps they understand now, after Afghanistan and Iraq, that we mean what we say, that we follow through on our commitments, and that the President and Secretary Rice speak with one voice. Perhaps they are finally grateful that we have the power to stop Iran militarily, if need be, and are finally willing to assume the collective responsibility to stop Iran before it comes to that terrible point.

UPDATE: Washington Post here. Secretary Rice says Iran has weeks not months to respond and China and Russia are on board for the "two paths"--cooperation or isolation.