Several months have passed since Russia announced that it would be ready to take Iran's uranium for enriching process. This could have been a feasible solution to long thorny nuclear crisis. Apparently few persons do not know that there are sufficient reasons to assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons, yet at the same time Iran continues to claim that it needs nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only. Most of the representatives of Western countries that participate in negotiations with Iran on this issue claimed that it was a reasonable solution to the stalemate in the crisis. Moreover it looked like Iran might be inclined accept this solution as well.



Even if Iran agreed on the Russian proposals, there is no guarantee that this would be an effective solution for the long term period. One must remember that Iran had been developing nuclear program secretly before it was revealed several years ago. Even if most of Iranian nuclear program was transferred to Russia, Iran would still have sufficient resources, knowledge, professionals and above all, will to produce nuclear weapon. If one takes into account past experience, then it is possible to draw the conclusion that Iran will continue its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons whatever solutions other countries and nations might provide. Iran is determined to become a regional superpower. Few persons who know current social, economic and political situation in this region would doubt that Iran has all reasons to transform itself into the strongest military power in the region. It has comparatively modern and highly-equipped army as well as large resources of oil and other energy sources. As one can judge by the current internal situation in Iran, some hardliners and conservatives might believe that Iran should acquire nuclear weapons in order to enhance its power in the world.

Neither are there substantial grounds to believe that Iran will inform other nations about its decisions in the future. So what steps must be taken to resolve the issue?! In order to answer this question one should differentiate between long-term and short-range prospects. Apparently none of current proposals is fully acceptable for all nations that participate in negotiations. Productive progress can be possible only if there are some valuable concessions from the Western countries. Concessions such as concrete proposals to resolve some economic and social problems in Iran in return for the abandonment of nuclear ambitions of the country might help to resolve this protracted and very dangerous crisis.