But the diplomats, who demanded anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss confidential issues, suggested that Iran's request was nothing more than a delaying tactic, noting it had already had three days since the meeting was adjourned on Friday to come up with a decision.
"The Iranians seem chiefly interested in seeing this meeting fail," said one of the delegates, suggesting Tehran's main focus was preventing any debate on its defiance of a U.N. Security Council demand that it stop all aspects of its uranium enrichment program.
Who says the world's diplomatic community is utterly worthless? They actually can spot the bleeding obvious if they stare at it for years on end.
I remain convinced that diplomacy is as much about the non-U.S. West trying to buy time for Iran to go nuclear as it is Iran buying time to go nuclear.
If Iran would only get on with it and go nuclear at long last, western diplomats could stop pretending they are trying to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. The West could then just shrug and say, darn it all, too late! We'll just have to learn to live with the Iranian bomb. Israel or America will be nuked after all, not Europe. And think of all those post-nuclear strike rebuilding contracts that European companies might snag!
Could be a two-fer or even a three-fer for sophisticated EU diplomacy!
UPDATE: Iran has agreed to some wording that will allow the talks to go forward:
With the Iranians showing no signs of compromise even after the South African proposal was floated Friday, a statement by Tehran's chief delegate, Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, that "my government can accept the proposal by South Africa" appeared to catch most delegations by surprise.
Subsequent approval was followed by brief, but relieved applause.
Relieved applause, indeed. For a while there the diplomats thought they might have to actually do something to stop Iran. Now they can keep talking and hope Iran just finally gets their nuke to end the suspense and worry that another impasse will require the diplomats to actually act.
