That the Iranian delegation in Geneva in their long-awaited talks with World powers P5+1 would announce IAEA inspections of its second enrichment facility at Qom, which had been revealed only last week, within a couple of months had been expected. That Iran suggested further enrichment to 20% of already produced LEU, or low enriched uranium of about 4%, for fueling into its research reactor in Tehran for the production of medical isotopes in Russia had not. The chief negotiator Saeed Jalili discussed Iran’s diplomatic package of September 10 but was also offering so far completely considered impossible concessions regarding its highly disputed nuclear ambitions.

Middle-East expert Juan Cole claims that “Barack Obama pwned Bush-Cheney in one day, and got more concessions from Iran in 7 1/2 hours than the former administration got in 8 years of saber-rattling.” It’s not Obama. I suppose, it’s the well-prepared Iranian delegation which made it. It is an important step of confidence-building. There will be further talks later this month. We’ll see whether reason prevails or the regime’s hardliners are able to counteract.