February 4, 200620 yr IAEA Reports Iran to U.N. Security Council The U.N. nuclear watchdog Saturday reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council in a resolution expressing concern that Tehran's nuclear program may not be "exclusively for peaceful purposes." Iran retaliated immediately, saying it would resume uranium enrichment at its main plant instead of in Russia. The landmark decision by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board sets the stage for future action by the top U.N. body, which has the authority to impose economic and political sanctions. Still, any such moves were weeks if not months away. Two permanent council members, Russia and China, agreed to referral only on condition the council take no action before March. Twenty-seven nations supported the resolution, which was sponsored by three European powers ? Britain, France and Germany ? and backed by the United States. Cuba, Syria and Venezuela were the only nations to vote against. Five others ? Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa ? abstained, a milder form of showing opposition. Those backing the referral included India, a nation with great weight in the developing world whose stance was unclear until the vote. Iran reacted immediately, saying a proposal by Moscow to enrich Iranian uranium in Russia was dead. "Commercial scale uranium enrichment will be resumed in Natanz in accordance with the law passed by the parliament," Javad Vaeidi, deputy head of the powerful National Security Council, told Iran state television in a telephone interview from Vienna. Iran removed some U.N. seals from its main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, central Iran, on Jan. 10 and resumed research on nuclear fuel ? including small-scale enrichment ? after a 2 1/2-year freeze. Full-scale uranium enrichment can produce the fissile core of nuclear warheads. The Kremlin had proposed that Iran shift its large-scale enrichment of uranium to Russian territory to allay world suspicions that Iran might use the process to develop a nuclear bomb. Vaeidi also said that after approval by the Iranian council, Iran would stop honoring an agreement with the IAEA allowing its inspectors broad powers to monitor and probe Tehran's nuclear activities. Iran says it wants to enrich only to make nuclear fuel, but concerns that it might misuse the technology accelerated the chain of events that led to Saturday's Security Council referral. The IAEA resolution refers to Iran's breaches of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty and lack of confidence that it is not trying to make weapons. It expresses "serious concerns about Iran's nuclear program." It recalls "Iran's many failures and breaches of its obligations" to the nonproliferation treaty, and it expresses "the absence of confidence that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes." It requests IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to "report to the Security Council" steps Iran needs to take to dispel suspicions about its nuclear ambitions. The resolution calls on Iran to: _Reestablish a freeze on uranium enrichment and related activities. _Consider whether to stop construction of a heavy water reactor that could be the source of plutonium for weapons. _Formally ratify an agreement allowing the IAEA greater inspecting authority and continue honoring the agreement before it is ratified. _Give the IAEA additional power in its investigation of Iran's nuclear program, including "access to individuals" for interviews and to documentation on its black-market nuclear purchases, equipment that could be used for nuclear and non-nuclear purposes and "certain military-owned workshops" where nuclear activities might be going on. The draft also asks ElBaradei to "convey ... to the Security Council" his report to the next board session in March along with any resolution that meeting might approve. Agreement on the final wording of the text was reached just hours before Saturday's meeting convened, after Washington compromised on Egypt's demand that the resolution include support for the creation of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East. Egypt and other Arab states have long linked the two issues of Iran's atomic ambitions and Israel's nuclear weapons status. The resolution recognized "that a solution to the Iranian issue would contribute to global nonproliferation efforts and ... the objective of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, including their means of delivery." A Western diplomat at the meeting said the United States felt strongly about not linking Israel to nuclear concerns in the Middle East when it considers Iran the real threat. But the Americans relented in the face of overwhelming European support for such a clause. Support for Iran shrank after Russia and China lined up behind the United States, France and Britain ? the other three permanent Security Council members ? earlier in the week. ___
February 4, 200620 yr Let's see if Iran's posturing over their nukes will actually get the permanent members off their asses.
February 4, 200620 yr I'm interested to see how Russia and China will handle this whole thing. Both countries have heavy ties to Iran.
February 4, 200620 yr This is going to get very interesting and also potentially very scary. Not really looking forward to it, there is just simply so much bad that can happen as a result of this...
February 4, 200620 yr Author The bombs will be raining on Iran soon... well, if it leads to that, at least this time we will have the support from the UN.
February 5, 200620 yr The bombs will be raining on Iran soon... and WWIII will then officially be launched.
February 5, 200620 yr The bombs will be raining on Iran soon... and WWIII will then officially be launched. How do you figure?
February 5, 200620 yr The bombs will be raining on Iran soon... and WWIII will then officially be launched. How do you figure? well Iran isnt going to simply lie around and do nothing. they will respond, they will respond in a very bad way. some nations will join them. it will be ugly, it will be big. i dont want to witness it.
February 5, 200620 yr Learn about our enemies! Iran North Korea Venezuela Canada! If Iran continues to threaten to build and use weapons, we will be left with no choice but to invade Canada and claim what is rightfully ours.
February 5, 200620 yr I definitely agree with Das. This isn't some 3rd world country with no damaging weapons---ie..it's not Afghanistan or Iraq. They have the potential to hit their mark and really cause a problem to any country in the world. And yes, they will get backing if we attack...because people are already on edge about us demonstrating our power in Afghanistan and Iraq. I just don't like the thought of us attacking Iran.
February 5, 200620 yr Not saying I am in favor bombing Iran, but I would like to know what countries will join the war on Iran's side and for what reason? And why those countries will matter? It can only be WWIII if both sides are about evenly matched.
February 5, 200620 yr I definitely agree with Das. This isn't some 3rd world country with no damaging weapons---ie..it's not Afghanistan or Iraq. They have the potential to hit their mark and really cause a problem to any country in the world. And yes, they will get backing if we attack...because people are already on edge about us demonstrating our power in Afghanistan and Iraq. I just don't like the thought of us attacking Iran. Name them.
February 5, 200620 yr If the US gets the backing of the world community, I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to go up against the U.S. and allies.
February 5, 200620 yr I'm sure if we are going to start choosing sides amongst countries in the world that North Korea isnt going to side with us. Hell all of the radical Muslim world will join Iran as well. And if there are some opportunisitc nations that might see siding with Iran as a way to get a leg up in the world if they win. Who knows really, I think there are a number of nations in the Asian region that we dont really know what they would really do when push came to shove. Especially if the Israel question was joined in with any bombing of Iran.
February 5, 200620 yr North Korea will not get into a war because of Iran. And none of the Arab countries would join Iran. The only potentially scary country would be Russia. Besides the Russians there is no one to fear.
February 5, 200620 yr North Korea will not get into a war because of Iran. And none of the Arab countries would join Iran. The only potentially scary country would be Russia. Besides the Russians there is no one to fear. North Korea would get into a war over nukes though and simply because they dont exactly like the United States. Dont discount what the radical Muslims could do if they really wanted to. I really dont understand why so many think it would be seemingly a walk in the park to bomb Iran.
February 5, 200620 yr North Korea will not get into a war because of Iran. And none of the Arab countries would join Iran. The only potentially scary country would be Russia. Besides the Russians there is no one to fear. North Korea would get into a war over nukes though and simply because they dont exactly like the United States. Dont discount what the radical Muslims could do if they really wanted to. I really dont understand why so many think it would be seemingly a walk in the park to bomb Iran. I don't think it will be a walk in the park to bomb Iran. I just don't think it would cause WWIII.
February 5, 200620 yr Russia and China are not going to be too keen on a full scale invasion of Iran. I don't think we can expect the support of those nations or any major middle eastern countries. Taking out the secular Hussein is one thing, especially since we already fought him and he invaded another Arab country. But taking out the mullahs is a totally different scenario. While I don't think any of these countries would fight us, Im sure they would be against it. Also, what exactly is the plan for this? Wasnt Clinton ripped into for just bombing a perceived threat and not invading? Is the plan to bomb them into submission?
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