Europe Shows Willingness to Cut Trade With Iran

Support has grown among European nations for expanding limits on their own trade with Iran as a way to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear program, Reuters reported yesterday (see GSN, May 3).

U.N. powers met this week in London to discuss what to do if Iranian leaders ignore the Security Council’s demand that the nation suspend its uranium enrichment activities.

Russia has indicated its reluctance to impose additional economic sanctions, already levied twice since December, unless European nations agree to bear more of the burden, according to a diplomatic official.

Russian officials have argued that Moscow has made a greater sacrifice in sanctioning Iran because it has delayed completing a nuclear power plant in Iran and has a longtime arms supply relationship, Reuters reported.

European nations might be ready to further reduce ties with Iran.  Some have indicated a readiness to limit future export credits and loans, according to a European diplomat (Carol Giacomo, Reuters/Washington Post, May 3).

Meanwhile, U.S. Republican presidential candidates took rhetorical aim at Iran last night in California during their first debate prior to the 2008 election, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, April 27).

“My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization and there is a real threat of them doing that,” said Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.).

“It’s the worst nightmare of the Cold War, isn’t it?  The nuclear weapons in the hands of an irrational person, an irrational force,” said former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “is clearly irrational,” he added (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, May 4).

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