WASHINGTON, July 21 (UPI) -- There is little to suggest Iran will enter negotiations to end its uranium-enrichment program, but it may be willing to compromise, U.S. officials say.
Iran faces mounting international scrutiny and punitive economic sanctions over its controversial nuclear program.
Washington and its allies maintain Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, while Tehran insists the program is for the production of civilian nuclear energy.
The political turmoil in Iran in the aftermath of the disputed June 12 election makes forecasts regarding nuclear talks with Iran difficult at best, but former U.S. officials express at least cautious optimism that some progress is possible.
In an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, Mark Fitzpatrick, a veteran State Department official dealing with the Iranian nuclear program, said in the wake of the political fallout that Iran could make room for some compromises.
"I'm not at all optimistic, but I don't rule out the possibility that the regime's new need for legitimacy could make it more willing to accept some tactical compromise to get back to the negotiating table," he said.
Fitzpatrick, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, says Iran lost some of its influence in the post-election fallout, leaving Western negotiators in a position of relative strength.
