Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 16
By Saeed Isayev - Trend:
The expanded list of companies sanctioned by the U.S. with regard to Iran's nuclear program unlikely to have any impact on the nuclear negotiations, Senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, James M. Dorsey told Trend.
On Dec. 12 the U.S. administration announced an expanded list of companies and individuals that it said it would target to block their trading activities around the world. Iran harshly reacted towards the move, saying it damages the agreement reached in Geneva.
Dorsey added that both Obama and Rouhani need to pacify domestic opponents of a resolution of the Iranian nuclear crisis.
"By listing companies that have transgressed current sanctions on Iran, Obama is throwing a bone to hardliners in the US Congress," Dorsey said. "By the same token, Rouhani has no choice but to denounce the move."
He said both sides understand the needs of the other.
"As a result, as long as Rouhani can manage his domestic detractors, this is unlikely to have any impact of the negotiations themselves," Dorsey said.
The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.
Speaking about Iran and Russia deal on building more nuclear power plants similar to Bushehr nuclear plant, Dorsey said this kind of activity is of no interest to international community.
"Iran's peaceful use of nuclear power has never been an issue," he said.
"Russian assistance to Iran in the building of nuclear power stations with no risk of military application fall within the parameters of Geneva. The issue in Geneva is the level of enrichment which Russia as well as Iran have committed to," he added.