New multilateral approaches solving the nuclear energy dispute with Iran

The focus of this report is on possible multilateral approaches for cooperation with Iran on the nuclear fuel cycle. The aim is to contribute in finding diplomatic solutions to the Iranian nuclear dispute. The proposals challenge the traditional views of Iran’s role in the nuclear negotiations in particular, and in the international community in general. The report investigates the possibility of accepting Iran’s enrichment of uranium, under an enhanced safeguards regime, and through a multilateral cooperation on the production of nuclear fuel. In relation to this, the report also explores the benefits of including new actors in the proposed solutions.Two different models for multilateral nuclear fuel cycle cooperation with Iran will be presented. The aim of these models is to ensure greater transparency in Iran’s nuclear activities, in order to minimize the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons, while simultaneously presenting a solution that will be acceptable to Iran. The first model is a tripartite consortium model that consists of a cooperation between Kazakhstan, Iran and South Africa, in which these countries additionally cooperate with an IAEA-supervised international nuclear fuel bank. The second model is a nuclear fuel cycle cooperation between Iran and six of the countries bordering the Persian Gulf. In both models, the countries in question will be responsible for different parts of the nuclear fuel cycle. Iran will be responsible for the uranium enrichment activities, but will have to give up all other fuel cycle activities. Another prerequisite is that Iran accepts not to store enriched uranium on Iranian soil.The report shows that the international community should consider accepting enrichment of uranium on Iranian soil in the long-term. In addition, it is concluded that cooperation with Iran on the nuclear fuel cycle, where Iran is a reliable nuclear supplier state of enriched uranium and other states are responsible for the remaining parts of the fuel cycle, can potentially be realized. It will require a large amount of political will, however; both from the international community and from Iran. Fuel cycle cooperation with Iran is also a solution in a long-term perspective. Certain conditions must be fulfilled for the solution to feasible, and of particular significance is an Iranian implementation of confidence-building measures, in order to increase the world’s confidence in Iran’s intentions in the nuclear field. Regardless of which actors are best suited to participate in a nuclear fuel cycle cooperation with Iran, the Iranian government will have to play with open cards and implement transparency measures already in an early phase.