Iran: no more time
As Iran fails to show at the Vienna meeting with the
International Atomic Energy Agency to explain about the
announced resumption of its nuclear activities at a site
previously sealed by the IAEA, immediate referral to the U.N.
Security Council becomes inevitable and necessary.
France, Britain and Germany - the "EU-3" - have led negotiations
with Iran over its nuclear weapons program since 2003. The talks
broke off late last year when Iran unilaterally breached its
agreement by resuming suspended activities of the nuclear fuel
cycle in Isfehan plant. IAEA board of directors consequently
agreed to refer Iran to the Security Council at its next meeting
which would be sometime in March 2006.
Later a "Russian plan" surfaced suggesting Russia to perform the
enrichment process for Iran and Iran would return the nuclear
waist back to Russia. This would help keep the part of fuel
production process that could lead to bomb grade uranium outside
of the country and yet enable Tehran to have a nuclear
technology. This would have been a half way solution only if
Iran's real intention was to produce electricity.
But the Russian plan was actually another opportunity for Tehran
to buy a little more time and that was how they approached it.
First it took about ten days for them to acknowledge the receipt
of an official proposal while the Russians kept insisting that
they had communicated the plan to Iran.
When it got to a point that Iran could no longer deny receiving
the plan, they started playing another game saying there needs
to be meetings to talk about details. But apparently this time
the west had enough experience to let Iran waist another six
months. Iran was told to accept the plan and then details can be
discussed. That was what rang the bell of the game ending into
Iran's ears. It was over.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that the
United States and its European allies have the votes to bring
Iran before the U.N. Security Council for possible censure over
its nuclear ambitions, signaling increasing skepticism that
continued negotiations with Iran will ever succeed.
The game Iran has played for the past three years makes it's
nuclear intention obvious. While this country supports
international terrorism and continues meddling in Iraq and
interfering in the Middle East peace process, having such
powerful technology at hand is obviously intimidating to the
rest of the world. Letting Iran to continue its work towards the
bomb is no longer justifiable.
Iran's only interest in "Russian plan" or any other plan as such
is the opportunity to buy more time to push it's nuclear weapons
program forward and for the sake of peace in the world it should
not be allowed to succeed.
Authors Website Address:
http://www.stopfundamentalism.com