Iran daily weighs risks of Persian Gulf nuclear consortium proposal

Iran’s Farhikhtegan daily on Tuesday highlighted both potential benefits and significant risks of a proposed nuclear consortium involving Persian Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The paper said that one of Iran’s proposals in Sunday’s negotiations with the United States was to allow regional oversight of uranium enrichment as a way to demonstrate the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. It noted that similar plans had been discussed by Iranian officials in previous administrations.

Supporters of the idea, the daily wrote, believe “this proposal could help break the deadlock in negotiations and strengthen ties with regional countries.”

However, Farhikhtegan warned the plan lacks clarity, asking: “If enriched material is transferred to a Persian Gulf state and placed under their supervision, what will be the mechanism for its storage, and where exactly will it be held?”

The editorial also questioned Iran’s ability to respond if pressure is applied through regional actors: “If the American side, through influence, pushes these countries to destroy the enriched material, what mechanism does Iran have to counter that?”