Hope that reason will prevail

Last week’s negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 ended up with the decision to extend talks and set a new deadline for reaching an agreement in seven months’ time.

This should be seen as a positive development, whereby Iran’s nuclear programme is treated like a technical issue — alleged nuclear bomb and all — and not as a political stance whereby Iran wishes to stand up to the West.

The extension should give ample time to resolve the remaining knotty differences between the two sides and lead, hopefully, to a sober, rational agreement.

But this would not happen unless both are aware that Iran is serious about its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and that the P5+1 will do everything in its power to prevent Iran from becoming capable of assembling a nuclear bomb.

Once such premise is understood and accepted, the two sides should be able to reach a mutually agreeable understanding.

Meanwhile, the sanctions imposed on Tehran will be eased somewhat, with the expectation that they will be fully lifted once negotiations reach the desired end.

When that happens, and hopefully it will, a new chapter in the West-Iran relations should start, with far-reaching implications, particularly for the region.

Better Iranian relations with the major Western powers could be expected to see a positive change in a variety of issues, including the threat posed by the Islamic State, the conflicts in Iraq and Syria and, perhaps, also Palestine.

Most countries of the region stand to gain from a positive deal between Tehran and the West. The only resistance could come from Israel, but wisdom should prevail and draw the lines of engagement.

One thing is certain: The region does not need any more conflict.