Foreign Policy

Iran Removes Seals On Nuclear Equipment

January 11, 2006 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

Iraq or Iran, who was, and is, really the biggest threat to security in the Middle East? Did we make a mistake by addressing Iraq rather than the issue of Iran? Just how dangerous is the threat Iran poses? Furthermore, can we really deal with a country that has a President that openly speaks of destroying other countries in the area? And guess what, these guys are way closer to going nuclear than Saddam ever was.

Today, Western governments have issued firm warnings to Iran advising them to abstain from resuming their nuclear research after United Nations monitors in response to the report by Vienna which confirmed that the country’s scientists have removed seals from materials at one of its uranium enrichment plants.

The White House has advised that if Iran continues with its current actions they will refer the issue to the UN Security Council. This action could result in the possibility of sanctions or other related types of punishment by the international community.

The Bush administration has already signaled that it believes time is running out for Iran to avoid being brought before the U.N. Security Council in regards to its disputed nuclear program. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated, “We are moving into a period of time with Iran where I think we’re going to have to; the world is going to have to make some decisions.”

Rice further stated, “I don’t have any doubt that at the right time, a time of our choosing, we’re going to go to the Security Council if the Iranians are not prepared to do what they say they want to do, which is to pursue peaceful nuclear energy.”

The Secretary has danced around criticism regarding the issue of negotiations between Tehran and the EU; these talks are the Europeans last hope of providing Iran a way to prevent punishment from the U.N.

However, the Secretary is very skeptical about progress in any talks regarding Irans, nuclear ambitions. The Secretary went on to state that , “When it’s clear that negotiations are exhausted, we have the votes to take Iran before the Security Council for possible punishment…There is a resolution sitting there for referral. We’ll vote it.”

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