Iran plays Russian roulette by Kaveh L Afrasiabi

Also, Russia's nuclear transactions with Europe are instructive, in view of the strict stipulations for keeping aspects of technology "black-boxed" so that Russian firms' anxiety about patent control and re-export of technology by the recipient nation to third parties are addressed.

This alternative has the advantage of nuclear safety and likely acceptance by Iran, compared with the current Russian offer, which can be telescoped into a scientific feasibility study that would cover the issue of "objective guarantees" about non-diversion to illicit purposes.

This alternative has yet to be examined by either the IAEA, the US or the European governments, and yet the mere escalation of the nuclear standoff requires a broadening of their horizons to all peaceful options to put this genie back in the bottle.