American officials say Rouhani's change in tone is driven by the Iranian public's frustration with crippling economic sanctions levied by the US But it is still unclear whether Iran is willing to take the steps the US is seeking in order to ease the sanctions, including curbing uranium enrichment and shutting down the Fordo underground nuclear facility.
Iran will no longer enrich uranium at its Fordo facility.
Iran's second enrichment facility is known as Fordo after a village believed to have the largest percentage of fighters killed in the 1980-88 withwIraqIraq.
MOPs can penetrate underground tunnels, bunkers, and plants, such as the Fordo enrichment facility, under a mountain near the Iranian holy city of Qom.
But the Bushehr plant only adds to Iran's credibility problem, because none of the centrifuges at Natanz or Fordo are used for it.
A second site is at Fordo, buried deep in mountains less vulnerable to air strikes, near Qom, Iran's center of religious learning.
He went on, "If the other side understands the importance of dignity and integrity to the Iranian people, and grasps the fact that various Iranians — who may never have seen [facilities at] Natanz or Arak or Fordo — believe that dignity is not up for sale, that their technology and development is not up for sale … then they will be able to reach an understanding with us".
At that point, air strikes on Natanz or Fordo might not stop Iran from making a bomb.
A former covert facility built deep in the mountains at Fordo will not be allowed to enrich uranium for at least fifteen years, and will be converted into a research center for peaceful use.
The fact that the Fordo plant is approaching full operation, shortening the amount of time it would need to build a weapon, gives Iran added ability to exert pressure on the United States and its allies.
The hard-line approach would require the country's military leadership to give up the Fordo enrichment plant outside the holy city of Qum, and with it a huge investment in the one facility that is most hardened against airstrikes.
