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Source: http://www.inss.org.il/index.aspx?id=4538&articleid=5734
Iran: A New Style of Negotiations
(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Ephraim Kam - The sanctions are the primary leverage the West has to use against Iran and there is no reason to assume that the West will revoke them merely because of flowery Iranian rhetoric. The sanctions will be lifted only if Iran shows a positive approach and agrees to substantial concessions. The sanctions also compel Iran not to try to use the negotiations as a stalling tactic. Unlike in the past, Iran is currently not interested in gaining time to advance its nuclear program because uppermost in its mind is attaining an agreement that will result in revocation of the sanctions. The U.S. administration is committed to keeping nuclear weapons out of Iranian hands, whereas Iran would apparently be willing to make various concessions as long as they don't interfere with the capability it has already constructed to break out to nuclear weapons within a short period of time. Col. (ret.) Dr. Ephraim Kam served as assistant director of the Research Division for Evaluation in IDF Military Intelligence.