Iran sent a five-page proposal to leading world powers calling for "comprehensive, all-encompassing and constructive negotiations." It sets the outlines of Iran's approach to what some have been calling a "grand bargain" between Iran and the most global players.
The document, which was delivered to U.S., Russian, Chinese, British, French and German diplomats, linked the future of the Palestinian people and reform of the United Nations Security Council to discussion of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
The proposal envisages all-encompassing talks on political-security, international and economic issues.
While it mentions the need for addressing global problems such as environmental degradation, organized crime, drugs and illegal migration, its guiding principles seek to promote a more equitable global system in general. It reads, "Security requires reorganization and creating an opportunity for broad and collective participation in the management of the world."
It specifically mentions Palestine in a section calling for:
Joint efforts and interactions to help the people of Palestine to draw a comprehensive, democratic and equitable plan in order to help the people of Palestine to achieve all-embracing peace, lasting security and to secure their fundamental rights.By linking the Palestinian issue, Iran may be hoping to position itself vis-a-vis political developments there. Any successes can be taken credit for, as the product of Iranian pressure, while they can distance themselves from failures since this framework will likely be rejected by the powers.
While Iranian leaders urged the non-negotiability of its nuclear power program and the proposal did not mention it directly, it said they were willing to discuss "putting into action real and fundamental programmes toward complete disarmament and preventing development and proliferation of nuclear, chemical and microbial weapons."
The State Department declined immediate comment.
