“The idea that the United States of America remains forever as the ‘Great
Satan’ is changing in Iran as there are signs of slight but noticeable
change in US policies towards the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Iraq and Syria.
All this makes it possible for Iran to enter into cooperation with the US,”
Khoram told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Iran contemplating nuclear compromise in return for US-backed regional role:
sources
Iran and US on course for "maximum flexibility" in upcoming negotiations
says Iranian adviser
Ali M. Pedram Asharq Al-Awsat Saturday, 8 Nov, 2014
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/11/article55338318

London, Asharq Al-Awsat—As the November 24 deadline for nuclear negotiations
approaches, the revelation that US President Barack Obama sent a letter to
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been cautiously welcomed
in the highest political circles in Tehran, an Iranian official informed
Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Iranian official, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of
anonymity, said: “The paradigm of Iran’s nuclear program is shifting towards
strategic necessities for both Iran and the US in the face of current
regional crises.”

After nearly two years of indirect and direct negotiations between Tehran
and Washington over Iran’s controversial nuclear program, both sides are now
fighting to win credibility that they have done their utmost to reach an
agreement.

Pre-deadline nuclear talks in Muscat, where the first official encounters
between Iranian and US diplomats took place after several decades of a
no-negotiations policy, has added momentum to the current negotiations with
both sides expected to offer compromises.

Ali Khoram, an adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif,
told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Iran and the US have come to terms that despite more
than three decades of mistrust, it is now in their national interest to
constructively negotiate and reach an agreement.”

“Both sides seem to have recognized each other’s concerns and are ready for
maximum flexibility,” Khoram added.

For Tehran, Obama’s steadfastness in pushing for negotiations despite
immense pressure opposing this from US Republicans and Tel Aviv is seen as
an opportunity that must not be squandered.

Referring to the fourth letter that President Obama has written to Iran’s
Supreme Leader, Khoram said: “These diplomatic correspondences have had a
positive impact on Iran’s top leadership and are essential in changing
attitudes to reach an agreement, although the [latest] letter is solely
concerned with mutual interests in combating the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria [ISIS].”

Political observers in Tehran believe that Obama’s letter is another sign of
potential broader Iranian-US cooperation in the aftermath of a nuclear
agreement, particularly given the turmoil in the region. Iran’s leadership
is also wary of the detrimental effect of long-term sanctions as seen in the
fate of Libya and Iraq and is therefore seeking to build the required level
of trust with the US to secure stable interactions on the regional and
international stage.

“The idea that the United States of America remains forever as the ‘Great
Satan’ is changing in Iran as there are signs of slight but noticeable
change in US policies towards the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Iraq and Syria.
All this makes it possible for Iran to enter into cooperation with the US,”
Khoram told Asharq Al-Awsat.

While Hamidreza Asefi, a former Iranian foreign ministry’s spokesman during
Ahmadinejad’s government, said he believes that Oman is a suitable host for
direct US-Iran talks given the strong historical relations between Oman and
Iran and Muscat’s previous track record of mediation.

Asefi however said that Muscat would not be able to play a “significant
role” in convincing either side to offer further compromises in comments to
Iran’s ISNA news agency. Despite this, Oman can play an essential role in
boosting the confidence of both Iranian and US top leadership given its
position as a friendly state to both Tehran and Washington.

It is still not known whether Omani officials will be actively present
during the upcoming negotiations, but an Iranian source rejected Oman’s
mediation role saying that the friendly Sultanate of Oman is merely hosting
the negotiations likening this to negotiations held in Kazakhstan in 2012
and 2013.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, EU foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton and US Secretary of State John Kerry are scheduled to meet
in Muscat on Nov 9 & 10 to discuss the final framework for the last nuclear
negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations set to be held in
Vienna on November 24.