Iran Would Not Have to Close Uranium Enrichment Site, Could Keep Medical Isotope Fuel

Iranian officials were upbeat today at what was described as a “realistic” series of offers by Western officials at the ongoing P5+1 talks in Kazakhstan, saying they marked a major turning point in the talks.

The exact details of the concessions are not all public knowledge yet, but reportedly includes allowing Iran to continue to produce medical isotopes and an offer to relax sanctions, including an end to the ban on petrochemical trades, in return for a “suspension” of enrichment at Fordo.

This is a major shift on two fronts, as previous reports had the West only offering to allow Iran a trivial amount of grey-market gold bartering and had demanding not just a suspension of Fordo, but a complete dismantling of the facility.

No deal has been agreed to yet, but the potential seems to be there, with both sides agreeing to a side meeting in mid-March in Istanbul to discuss details and a follow-up in Kazakhstan in early April, potentially for a final agreement.