Sep. 9, 2004 23:05 | Updated Sep. 9, 2004 23:35
US envoy en route to discuss Iran
By
JANINE ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
The senior US official dealing with Iran's nuclear program, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, John Bolton, arrives in Israel this weekend for talks Sunday with Israeli officials ahead of a crucial meeting next week of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
At next week's meeting in Vienna, the IAEA will determine whether Iran is secretly pursuing nuclear weapons and whether the issue should be referred to the UN Security Council, a path of action the Bush administration favors.
But a preliminary report by the IAEA last week found no evidence of a covert nuclear weapons program in Teheran, contrary to US and Israeli assertions.
Iran has pledged again to suspend activities like uranium enrichment, US officials say, to try to influence the outcome of the IAEA meeting.
"Clearly what they're doing is trying to confuse the situation in the run-up to the IAEA meeting... Iran wants a clean bill of health. It's not going to get that," a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post. "But whether we can get a referral to the UN Security Council, I don't know."
Even if the issue of Iranian nukes is referred to the Security Council, administration officials acknowledge there is no guarantee that sanctions will be imposed. At the very least, though, the senior official said, "it helps to increase the political pressure by having it on the Security Council agenda."
Secretary of State Colin Powell said this week, "Time is passing and this is a matter that should go to the Security Council as quickly as possible."
As bad as it gets
10 September 2004
IRAN has been served notice to suspend all nuclear activities by November or face UN sanctions. Evidently, the ultimatum is part of the process of building the case for a full-fledged offensive against the country. Europe’s Big Three - Britain, France and Germany - evidently see the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in November as the ‘point of decision’ on Iran’s nuclear programme. Incidentally, the November ultimatum, delivered by Britain on behalf of Europe’s Big Three, fits rather nicely with the scheme of things across the Atlantic, in the United States. By November, the US would have put the crucial presidential election behind it and would be ready for yet another showdown in the Middle East. Of course, it is no secret that the Euro 3 of Britain, France and Germany have been under pressure from the US to abandon the ‘engagement’ of Teheran and cooperate with Washington to take the battle to the UN Security Council. And if the issue goes to the Security Council, Iran is certain to invite punitive sanctions crippling its export oriented economy and further isolating it internationally. This is a clear signal to Iran to get its act together. It is time to view the situation a bit more realistically. But there are no signs as yet to suggest that Teheran is alive to the seriousness of the issue. The country appears in no hurry to comply with the West’s dictates unconditionally. It has sought concessions like free trade agreement and transfer of civil nuclear technology as promised by the EU nations in return for giving up nuclear programme. Iran has long insisted that its nuclear programme is purely for the production of electricity. There are not many takers for its claim in the West though. Europe, which initially favoured the engagement of Iran by offering it technical support to produce electricity persuading the country to abandon enrichment activities, now appears to be toeing the hawkish US line over the issue. Eventually, when the issue goes to the Security Council, Europe may not push the case of sanctions against Iran, but then the matter would have got out of its hands and it’s the US that will dictate the agenda.. The ultimatum to Iran is thus a vindication of the US, which has been awaiting an opportunity to get back at Teheran. Iran’s rulers would do well to realise if they do not act fast, they may be totally isolated in the world community. All parties involved including the US and Europe must exercise greater restraint to avoid yet another conflagration in the already explosive Middle East.
