On Iran’s nuclear ambitions, some have suggested an approach which mirrors our policy vis-a-vis N. Korea. In other words, if they really insist on the need for a peaceful nuclear infrastructure, then the world should help them build nuclear power plants which do not produce the kind of nuclear byproduct which can be used to produce nuclear weapons. The trouble is N. Korea and Iran clearly have ambitions of possessing nuclear weapons. In fact, most experts believe Pyongyang already has several such weapons in its inventory. This approach, nonetheless, may be worth pursuing with Iran – if only to call Tehran’s bluff. So far, however, the U.S. and Europeans continue to pursue this issue in the UN context.
In this regard, many experts believe this close collaboration to steer Iran away from its nuclear weapons program may pay off. The following Feb. 24, 2004 article from the International Herald Tribune lays out this argument well and succinctly:
Early next month, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of directors will once again meet to consider how to respond to new evidence that Iran has continued to hide significant elements of its nuclear program. Although the board may agree to refer the issue to the UN Security Council, the United States and Europe still differ on how best to respond to Tehran’s continuing violation of its nonproliferation obligations.
The trans-Atlantic partners urgently need to coalesce around a long-term strategy for confronting Iran. Such agreement is needed to effectively deter Iranian violations and to keep the prospect of a diplomatic resolution open.
It is needed for a second reason too: This dispute has all the makings of repeating the disastrous fissures that developed over Iraq, except this time Britain appears to be siding with its European partners against the United States. That would be tragic for many reasons, not least because in this particular case there is absolutely no difference between the two sides on the ultimate objective.
Everyone, Europe and the United States as well as Australia, Canada, Japan and even Russia, knows that the consequences of Iran becoming a nuclear power are exceedingly grave.
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