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Politics

Quadriga - Iran Nuclear Deal: Forever Delayed?

November 27, 2014

International talks on Iran's nuclear plans have been postponed. After more than ten years of negotatiations, no agreement has been reached between the foreign ministers of Iran, the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. And few are convinced that more time for talks will make a solution more likely. So is this just a delay - or truly another missed opportunity?

https://p.dw.com/p/1DvXE
Iran Atomkraftwerk Atom Buschehr Schild
Image: AP

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani needed some good news. He was hoping to be able to announce the ending of foreign sanctions against his country. That might have opened the way to an improvement of Iran's economic situation, and in turn strengthened the forces of political reform. But failure is more likely to give a boost to the conservatives who oppose Rouhani.

The aim of the talks process has been to reach a long term agreement on Iran's use of nuclear technologies - allowing peaceful applications and preventing the Islamic Republic from moving quickly to development of a nuclear weapon.

21.03.2013 DW Quadriga Friedrich Thelen

But there are plenty who oppose such a deal. Israel claims Tehran's strategy is to get the sanctions lifted, but to continue to enrich uranium nonetheless. Saudi Arabia, too, is unhappy about the ambitions of its neighbour Iran.

The situation is also uncomfortable for President Obama. He must ask if a majority in the Congress would allow the proposed deal with Iran to go through. Indeed, the Republican party is considering plans to impose further sanctions.

Bildergalerie Irak Regionalkonflikt iranische Streitkräfte Parade 18.04.2014
Image: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

Does the United States have an interest in bringing to an end its 35-year old stand-off with Iran? Could the threat - seen by both Washington and Tehran - from the terrorists of Islamic State prompt them to form some kind of alliance?

Would the US, and indeed Israel, be willing to accept Tehran as a full and strong player in the region? And if not, for how long will they be able to ignore Iran?

Tell us what you think: send an e-mail to [email protected]

Our guests:

Iran Atomgespräche in Wien 24.11.2014 Gruppefoto
Image: ISNA

Friedrich Thelen- After earning his doctorate in law, in 1975 he took on the post of director at the German Development Service. Friedrich Thelen then worked as a journalist for the leading weekly newspaper "Die Zeit". In 1978 he switched to the business weekly "Wirtschaftswoche", where he began his career as the magazine's Bonn correspondent. Later he became the bureau chief of Wirtschaftswoche's Berlin office. He currently heads his own consulting office.

27.11.2014 DW Quadriga Shayan Arkian

Shayan Arkian- studied Political Philosophy and Shiite Theology at the Institute for Islamic Sciences IHIW in Hamburg and the Qum International University in Iran. He is the head of the German Institute For Iranian Political and Economic Research and editor-in-chief of IranAnders - a website covering Iranian issues.

27.11.2014 DW Quadriga Guenter Knabe

Günter Knabe- studied political science before beginning extensive field trips across Asia in the 1960s. In 1979, he joined Deutsche Welle, first as a reporter, later moving up to head of department for Afghanistan, then the whole of Asia. From 2003 on he was the broadcaster's diplomatic correspondent for Asia and the Islamic world in Berlin.