Tehran’s defiance to comply with the IAEA obligations to halt its nuclear enrichment intensified with its chief negotiator, Ali Larijani refusing to accept preconditions for the talks.
Ali Larijani and Javier Solana
Iran refused to comply with the sanctions of the Security Council in December last year that were subsequently increased in March after Tehran stepped up the program that can produce nuclear weapons.
Iran intensified the rift when it barred UN inspectors to have full access to its nuclear facilities. EU foreign ministers also offered to confer an incentive package and promised to ward off sanction if Tehran agrees to halt Uranium enrichment - something that Tehran denied to comply with.
Ali Larijani, however reiterated that,
Suspension is not the right solution for solving Iran’s nuclear issue. Past experiences have shown that suspension is not acceptable at all.
The standoff is widening further with US taking a tough stand day-before yesterday on Iranian nuclear issue with its nine war ships gushing to the Persian Gulf and President Bush predicting a bloody summer in Iraq.
BBC reported that US has accumulated the probable list of targets to conduct air operation in Iran. US intelligence has assessed that Tehran posed a ‘perceived nuclear threat’ to the US and US believes that Iran have nexus in major attacks on American forces in Iraq.
UN sanctions have increased Iranian anxiety over domestic economy and business. Iran, inarguably is pursuing to develop the nuclear deterrent, however, it always discarded the claim on the grounds that the uranium enrichment is intended for the civilian purpose and for generating the electricity in particular. With this Iran can export more oil and natural gas. Iran denying the G8 call to prove its credibility makes the Security Council apprehensive of Iran’s intent. Still, the door for negotiations is open and we hope for a peaceful solution of the issue unlike war of Iraq and Afghanistan.
On the other hand, US throbbing to the Persian Gulf, I think, is a strategy to kneel Iran down and give its adherence to IAEA obligations. Any military action against Iran will leave US diplomatically isolated. However, stern measures are required against Iran to ward off its nuclear strife.
Image Credit: Chinadaily
Source: CNN
