Posted on 01/31/2006 3:32:56 PM PST by Flavius
RUSSIA and China have bowed to pressure from the US and Europe to send Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear program.
After months of resistance, the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers abandoned their softly-softly approach towards Tehran's nuclear ambitions at a late-night private dinner in London at the home of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.
They signed a joint statement yesterday asking the International Atomic Energy Agency to formally refer all issues related to Iran's nuclear capacity and compliance to the Security Council, where sanctions and other penalties could be imposed.
Bush administration officials described the decision by the major nuclear powers and the European Union as a breakthrough in the effort to press Iran to give up nuclear activities.
"This is certainly the most decisive action taken on Iran by the international community in years," a senior US State Department official said. "This is a clear signal that the international community are saying 'enough'."
The surprise development is the first time all five Security Council permanent members - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - have issued the threat of sanctions, a move that will inflame Middle East tensions and put upward pressure on oil prices.
The statement calls on Iran to suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment, the process that makes fuel for nuclear weapons.
Under the agreement, the five permanent members of the council gave Iran a chance for further negotiations when they said the 15-member Security Council should wait a month before discussing sanctions.
That gives Iran more time to comply with UN nuclear inspection requests and avoid the threat of sanctions.
Also significant is the fact that China and Russia - both close trading partners of Iran and holders of Security Council veto powers - have given no indication how they would vote on any future sanctions resolution.
But a senior US official told The Washington Post the announcement reflected "growing frustration" among all the parties over Iran's defiance of the UN watchdog.
"I think Iran's on the defensive. Iran did not expect this," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The IAEA's 35-member board of governors is to meet in Geneva tomorrow on Iran's nuclear program - in particular Tehran's controversial decision to resume uranium enrichment activities.
The six countries said in yesterday's statement that the board of the IAEA "should report to the Security Council its decision on the steps required of Iran" during its meeting.
Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful but many nations, most notably the US and Israel, believe Iran's increasingly erratic and hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is intent on developing a nuclear bomb.
Last month, Mr Ahmadinejad defied world opinion when he ordered the resumption of Iran's nuclear fuel research and the removal of UN seals on uranium enrichment equipment.
Mr Ahmadinejad has already threatened to respond to any UN sanctions against Iran by turning off his country's oil supplies.
Iran produces 2.6 million barrels of oil a day, about 5 per cent of the world's supply, and is second only to Saudi Arabia in reserves, with an estimated 125.8 billion barrels, meaning its importance as a producer will grow.
Iran also has about 16 per cent of the world's reserves of natural gas, the energy equivalent of about 155 billion barrels ofoil.
Tehran has pointed out that it has the capacity to disrupt the shipping of oil supplies from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait through the Persian Gulf, where 40 per cent of the world's oil exports transit.
Well?
What'd ya expect?
They've been behind all this world-wide terror all along.
Along with our allies in Europe and the Middle East who are funding and supplying these same terrorists.
If you are surprised. You need plenty of mental help.
They can turn off their country's oil flow.
But they tried to disrupt shipping before and got blown out of the water.
Iran also has about 16 per cent of the world's reserves of natural gas, the energy equivalent of about 155 billion barrels ofoil.
So naturally they would want to go Nuclear power.....
"Mr Ahmadinejad has already threatened to respond to any UN sanctions against Iran by turning off his country's oil supplies."
That is just a bluff, since they need the revenue.
Maybe.
Remember this is a small, thin man, who grew up in poverty and mainains it as his profile. It would not be far removed for him to think that if he and most of the nation live on the verge of poverty, nothing much would change in daily lives - as opposed to interaction with the rest of the world.
Remember Pol Pot and re-evaluate Ahmadi-Nejad's fears or need for the revenues. Specially when apocalypse is an accepted, encouraged aspect of his religious and philosophical beliefs.
Let's see how bad everyone wants to avoid a conflict.
I will believe them when I see it.
Bowed to Preassure? Almost a month ago Russian-Iran relations intensified when Russia basically said they'd invade Iran if they pursue weaponized nuclaer capabilities.
The most famous person in history who said that was named Thomas.
His faith is not exactly reknowed.
What does even a drug dealer know about business?
Never become dependant on your own product.
Even the Bush administration recognizes rational reasons for them to want civillian nuclear energy. The global quam is that their actions are clearl pro-bom and anti-energy.
They arent bluffing, Look at North Korea, They sell drugs and counterfeit money and goods. Iran can do the very same thing.
Uhhhh... Russia and China invading Iran.... Give me a break!
"They arent bluffing, Look at North Korea, They sell drugs and counterfeit money and goods. Iran can do the very same thing."
I believe the ordinary citizens of Iran would not put up with the level of poverty of North Korea.
The citizens of Iran have institutional and family memory of how things were, under the Shah (better).
So perhaps the mad-mullahs could impose a Taliban-like harsh dictatorship, for awhile.
But they will be given ample opportunity to screw up, prompting response from US, Israel, UN, EU, NATO etc.
Short term, I agree there could be gasoline problems.
I don't see China invading Iran even with the weapons our Israeli allies sold them.
Oil is the reason that China would particapate. Also, it would foster Russian-Chinese relations.
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