Iran agrees to halt nuclear program

Deal made with EU aims to stave off U.N. sanctions Iran agrees to a 'suspension' vice permanent freeze as the U.S. desires. A step in the right direction, but a small step perhaps. Looking like this is out of the North Korean playbook. Just when they are threatened with economic sanctions, there is a pull-back, but not a halt.//JW sends.

A Vienna-based diplomat confirmed that the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency received a letter from Iran yesterday evening that contained a "commitment to full suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment program."

Details of the deal were unclear last night, but Britain, France and Germany had previously offered Iran a light-water nuclear reactor to generate electricity, help acquiring nuclear fuel and perhaps support for Iran's bid to join the World Trade Organization in exchange for a full freeze and unfettered access to all nuclear sites for the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency.
A similar deal brokered by the three European nations last year fell apart after about six months.
The announcement comes 10 days before the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. agency, is set to meet to decide the next step for Iran. The letter will be included in the report to the board of governors, which is to go out today.
Until yesterday, Iran had rejected the 35-member board's September request to suspend enrichment activities as "a confidence-building measure" while the agency continued to investigate whether Iran was using its energy program to help develop nuclear weapons.