Monday 29.11.2004, CET 23:01
November 29, 2004 6:00 PM
U.S. may go it alone on Iran sanctions
By Louis Charbonneau and Francois Murphy
VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has escaped U.N. censure over its nuclear programme but Washington, which accuses it of
seeking an atomic bomb, says it reserves the right to take the case to the Security Council on its own.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a U.N. watchdog, passed a resolution approving Iran's week-old
suspension of sensitive nuclear activities as part of a deal with the European Union.
Crucially, and in line with Iranian demands, the resolution described the freeze as a voluntary, confidence-building measure
and not a legally binding commitment.
Its passage meant that Tehran, which denies it wants the bomb, had achieved its immediate goal: to prevent the IAEA from
referring it to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions.
"This resolution which was approved by the IAEA was a definite defeat for our enemies who wanted to pressure Iran by
sending its case to the U.N. Security Council," President Mohammad Khatami was quoted by state radio as saying on
Monday.
The United States believes Iran is playing games with the international community and wants to see it referred to the
Council. U.S. envoy Jackie Sanders told the IAEA's board of governors that Washington reserved the right to go it alone.
"Quite apart from the question of how this board chooses to handle these matters, of course, the United States reserves all
of its options with respect to Security Council consideration of the Iranian nuclear weapons programme," she said.
"Any member of the United Nations may bring to the attention of the Security Council any situation that might endanger the
maintenance of international peace and security."
Sanders also issued a stern warning to companies, including multinationals, against exporting weapons-related equipment
to Iran. The United States "will impose economic burdens on them and brand them as proliferators", she said.
DIPLOMATIC POKER
A spokesman for U.S. President George W. Bush said: "The implementation and verification of the agreement is critical."
"Iran has failed to comply with its commitments many times over the course of the past year and a half."
The developments capped five days of diplomatic poker over the terms of a deal Iran struck with the European Union this
month to suspend all activities relating to enriching uranium.
Iran had first raised new demands and then backed down again, at one point throwing the deal into doubt.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran had now withdrawn a request to be allowed to continue research on 20
enrichment centrifuges, and inspectors had on Monday installed surveillance cameras to monitor them.
"This is clearly a positive step in the right direction. It would help mitigate international concern about the nature of Iran's
programme, and over time should help to build confidence ... I call naturally on Iran to sustain that suspension," he told
reporters.
Centrifuges are devices that spin at supersonic speeds to enrich, or purify, uranium for use as fuel in nuclear reactors.
Highly enriched uranium can be used in an atom bomb, although Iran insists its aim is purely to generate electricity.
DIPLOMATS EXASPERATED
Iran insists it has a "sovereign right" to enrich uranium and is only suspending such work to assure the world of its peaceful
intentions.
In Tehran, some 500 members of a conservative volunteer militia pelted the British embassy with stones and firecrackers
on Monday, protesting that the Iran-EU deal was a sellout.
Protesters from the basij militia, mainly black-bearded men, burned a British flag and tried to charge the embassy gates
but were pushed back by a cordon of some 100 riot police.
"Nuclear energy is our right," the protesters shouted.
At the IAEA in Vienna, there were signs of mounting exasperation from Western diplomats over Iranian tactics.
Several told Reuters that Iran had only promised not to test the centrifuges until December 15, when the EU and Iran meet
to discuss a long-term nuclear deal.
Those talks will focus on trade cooperation and peaceful nuclear technology that the Europeans are willing to offer Tehran if
it gives up uranium enrichment for good.
Reuters
It begs the question, "Are we willing to go to war over this?".
God help us, I sure hope not.
November 29, 2004 6:00 PM
U.S. may go it alone on Iran sanctions
By Louis Charbonneau and Francois Murphy
VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has escaped U.N. censure over its nuclear programme but Washington, which accuses it of
seeking an atomic bomb, says it reserves the right to take the case to the Security Council on its own.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a U.N. watchdog, passed a resolution approving Iran's week-old
suspension of sensitive nuclear activities as part of a deal with the European Union.
Crucially, and in line with Iranian demands, the resolution described the freeze as a voluntary, confidence-building measure
and not a legally binding commitment.
Its passage meant that Tehran, which denies it wants the bomb, had achieved its immediate goal: to prevent the IAEA from
referring it to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions.
"This resolution which was approved by the IAEA was a definite defeat for our enemies who wanted to pressure Iran by
sending its case to the U.N. Security Council," President Mohammad Khatami was quoted by state radio as saying on
Monday.
The United States believes Iran is playing games with the international community and wants to see it referred to the
Council. U.S. envoy Jackie Sanders told the IAEA's board of governors that Washington reserved the right to go it alone.
"Quite apart from the question of how this board chooses to handle these matters, of course, the United States reserves all
of its options with respect to Security Council consideration of the Iranian nuclear weapons programme," she said.
"Any member of the United Nations may bring to the attention of the Security Council any situation that might endanger the
maintenance of international peace and security."
Sanders also issued a stern warning to companies, including multinationals, against exporting weapons-related equipment
to Iran. The United States "will impose economic burdens on them and brand them as proliferators", she said.
DIPLOMATIC POKER
A spokesman for U.S. President George W. Bush said: "The implementation and verification of the agreement is critical."
"Iran has failed to comply with its commitments many times over the course of the past year and a half."
The developments capped five days of diplomatic poker over the terms of a deal Iran struck with the European Union this
month to suspend all activities relating to enriching uranium.
Iran had first raised new demands and then backed down again, at one point throwing the deal into doubt.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran had now withdrawn a request to be allowed to continue research on 20
enrichment centrifuges, and inspectors had on Monday installed surveillance cameras to monitor them.
"This is clearly a positive step in the right direction. It would help mitigate international concern about the nature of Iran's
programme, and over time should help to build confidence ... I call naturally on Iran to sustain that suspension," he told
reporters.
Centrifuges are devices that spin at supersonic speeds to enrich, or purify, uranium for use as fuel in nuclear reactors.
Highly enriched uranium can be used in an atom bomb, although Iran insists its aim is purely to generate electricity.
DIPLOMATS EXASPERATED
Iran insists it has a "sovereign right" to enrich uranium and is only suspending such work to assure the world of its peaceful
intentions.
In Tehran, some 500 members of a conservative volunteer militia pelted the British embassy with stones and firecrackers
on Monday, protesting that the Iran-EU deal was a sellout.
Protesters from the basij militia, mainly black-bearded men, burned a British flag and tried to charge the embassy gates
but were pushed back by a cordon of some 100 riot police.
"Nuclear energy is our right," the protesters shouted.
At the IAEA in Vienna, there were signs of mounting exasperation from Western diplomats over Iranian tactics.
Several told Reuters that Iran had only promised not to test the centrifuges until December 15, when the EU and Iran meet
to discuss a long-term nuclear deal.
Those talks will focus on trade cooperation and peaceful nuclear technology that the Europeans are willing to offer Tehran if
it gives up uranium enrichment for good.
Reuters
It begs the question, "Are we willing to go to war over this?".
God help us, I sure hope not.
