Iran is getting pretty close to a capability that could be put to a weapons purpose,'' said Mark Fitzpatrick, a nuclear policy expert at the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
It is far from certain that Tehran will accept the new package.
Iran's leaders have vowed to master the nuclear cycle, a development that would put it within touch of an atomic weapon.
03 May 2008: Daily Telegraph
By Damien McElroy
AMERICA agreed to make fresh concessions to Iran last night as foreign ministers from six world powers finalised an offer of incentives for Tehran to scrap its nuclear programme.
Talks in London, chaired by David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, reached a surprise breakthrough on a package of financial assistance, security guarantees and energy equipment transfers for the Islamic regime.
However, Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the United States, accompanied the sweeteners with a commitment to implement United Nations sanctions on Iran.
Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, had earlier resisted pressure for more sweeteners before the third tranche of sanctions, adopted last month, begin to bite.
Diplomats said US hopes for increasing pressure on Iran through the summer lay behind the capitulation.
"Iran is getting pretty close to a capability that could be put to a weapons purpose,'' said Mark Fitzpatrick, a nuclear policy expert at the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
It is far from certain that Tehran will accept the new package.
Iran's leaders have vowed to master the nuclear cycle, a development that would put it within touch of an atomic weapon.
