A droit diplomacy by Britain, France and Germany may have averted another nuclear crisis. A diplomatic full press appears to have convinced Iran that suspending its uranium-enrichment program and coming into full compliance with its obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency are in the country's best interest. The apparent change of heart is still only "apparent," though: Tehran must still convince the IAEA that it has declared all of its nuclear programs and has embraced complete transparency.
The United States has accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, a charge hotly denied by that government. Tehran claims that its nuclear programs are aimed at developing civilian nuclear energy, although such an initiative does not make a great deal of sense given Iran's petroleum reserves. Critics have pointed out that the energy released by the natural gas that Iran burns off at wellheads is greater than the total energy produced by its nuclear industry.
The U.S. allegations gained credence earlier this year when a dissident group supplied information about undeclared nuclear facilities that was subsequently confirmed by the IAEA. The discovery of enriched uranium on Iranian centrifuges hardened suspicions, and forced Iran to acknowledge that it had help in developing its nuclear program. Previously, it claimed that the program was completely indigenous. Tehran asserted that the enriched uranium must have come from a previous user -- Pakistan -- from which it had bought the equipment.