Diplomacy, Sanctions Have Failed to Stop Iranian Nuclear Advances, European Union Study Finds

A European Union study has found that diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear activities have failed and will probably continue to have no effect on Tehran’s ability to develop atomic technology, the Financial Times reported yesterday (see GSN, Feb. 12).

“At some stage we must expect that Iran will acquire the capacity to enrich uranium on the scale required for a weapons program,” says a “reflection paper” crafted by the staff of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.  “Attempts to engage the Iranian administration in a negotiating process have so far not succeeded.”

International efforts to pressure Iran through U.N. sanctions and other economic measures have also had little effect, according to the study.

“The Iranians have pursued their program at their own pace, the limiting factor being technical difficulties rather than resolutions by the U.N. or the [International Atomic Energy Agency],” it says.

The study would probably provide fuel for proponents of more aggressive policies toward Iran, such as threatening military action, the Times reported (Dombey/Schmid, Financial Times, Feb. 12).

EU policy-makers have agreed to enact more rigorous economic restrictions against Iran under a December U.N. Security Council resolution, the New York Times reported today.

“This is a very positive initiative because it takes the European Union beyond where they were until recently,” said U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns. “It’s not everything we would like to see happen. But the trajectory is good and the momentum is good, so we think this is a positive event” (Steven Weisman, New York Times, Feb. 13).

Meanwhile, the U.N. nuclear agency has yielded to Iranian complaints and plans to reassign the official in charge of IAEA inspections in Iran, Reuters reported today (see GSN, Jan. 26).

Iran demanded Chris Charlier’s removal last month in a letter to agency head Mohamed ElBaradei, saying that Charlier leaked information about Iran’s nuclear program.

Charlier is to be moved April 1 to the agency section overseeing Argentina and Brazil, according to a diplomat familiar with the agency’s operations.

ElBaradei had no choice but to replace Charlier, the diplomat said.

“There was no magic solution.  Iran will not give Charlier a visa.  Being unable to go into Iran, he could not do the job effectively enough.  Charlier was told of the decision last week,” said the diplomat.

“Of course Iran cannot tell the IAEA who to assign to Iran,” the diplomat added.  “But they have the sovereign right to reject an inspector they may not like.  The IAEA cannot shoot its way into Iran or parachute people in.”

“I know some (IAEA) member states will say the agency buckled to Iranian pressure.  But the IAEA has other very qualified personnel who can fill this job.  The IAEA cannot cling to one man in one position like this (at a time like this),” the diplomat said (Mark Heinrich, Reuters/Khaleej Times, Feb. 13).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.