The U.S. Obama administration has agreed to engage Iran on its nuclear program without the pre-conditions set forth by the previous administration.

The shift in strategy diverges from former Bush administration’s insistence that Tehran suspend all uranium enrichment activities prior to U.S. engagement. Instead, President Obama has joined European allies in the
ir regular negotiations with Iran.

Conversely, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has welcomed Obama’s engagement. This mutuality is a mark of progress after a decade-long standstill between the two nations on Iran’s nuclear activities.

The U.S. and its European allies are now jointly developing a proposal that would allow Iran to continue its uranian enrichment activities, provided that the country allows outside investigation of its nuclear program.

The goal remains that there eventually needs to be an end to all of Iran’s nuclear activities. The Obama administration’s change in U.S. policy could be key to bringing that end.

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U.S. May Drop Key Condition for Talks With Iran, New York Times, 13 April 2009.

Arab Leaders Snub al-Bashir Warrant, New York Times, 8 April 2009.

The 52 Minutes of Obama Magic That Changed the Nuclear Rules, The Guardian, 6 April 2009.