Iran OKs Broader UN Inspections

Talks in Tehran between Iran and the UN's nuclear chief have produced a "roadmap" for boosting inspections—but some of the sites that most interest UN investigators aren't included in the deal as it stands, the AP notes. Still, they'll get access to a planned heavy water reactor that has worried France, as well as a major uranium mine. The plan involves Iran opening its doors over three months, a period that may frustrate the West, but it could also lead to a more expansive deal.

Indeed, the UN's Yukiya Amano and Iran nuclear boss Ali Akbar Salehi say they aim to "cooperate further ... to resolve all present and past issues." Separate talks in Geneva, which ended yesterday, were less productive, though John Kerry says the US and other negotiating countries reached "unity" on a nuclear deal only to be rejected by Iran. Earlier reports had suggested France opposed a deal that appeared to be forming, but "the French signed off on" a proposal this weekend, Kerry said. Iran, however, "couldn't take it." While it's not "a race to complete just any agreement," Kerry signaled optimism that a deal could be reached in a matter of months, Reuters notes. Talks are set to resume Nov. 20. (More Iran stories.)