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IRAN RUNAROUND
November 24, 2003 -- WITH $8 billion a year in trade and a deal pending to up that ante even more, the European Union is Iranâs largest trading partner. And it appears that the E.U. - led by France, Germany and Britain - may now value those trade privileges over the principle of opposing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The U.N. reported recently that Iran had secretly manufactured small amounts of highly-enriched uranium and plutonium. Further Tehran had hidden the evidence from the IAEA for almost two decades. The E.U. reaction? It wants to give Iran a chance to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle. Figure the odds of that happening. Specifically, the European Union opposes a get-tough U.N. resolution on Iranâs nuke program, discussed last week at the IAEA meeting in Vienna. (The talks were so divisive; they will continue again this week starting Wednesday.) Secretary of State Colin Powell warns that the Europeans are being too lenient with the Iranians. He wants Iranâs nuclear transgressions referred to the U.N. Security Council for action, including possible economic sanctions. Clearly, the E.U. has no stomach for another diplomatic showdown on the scale of Iraq for the moment. But if the international community fails to take tough action now against Iran, Tehran will join the nuclear club before you can say "ayatollah." eye ya yie ya yie atollah How? Hereâs a dirty little secret from the rogue regime playbook: The U.N.âs Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) has a dangerous loophole. Under the guise of a peaceful, civilian nuclear energy program, a state can openly develop - right under the nose of the IAEA - most of what it needs for a nuclear-weapons program. It worked for North Korea and itâs working for Iran today. On this side of the Atlantic, heart palpitations are in order when contemplating nukes in the hands of a regime that is: * The worldâs most active state sponsor of terrorism, * Bent on the destruction of the United States and Israel, and * Aspiring to dominance in the Persian Gulf. But E.U. hearts appear unfluttered by all that. The top concern of Europeâs leaders seems to be preserving - and expanding - lucrative trade relationships with Tehran. Iran has the worldâs third-largest oil reserves. So far, European firms have invested $10.5 billion in those fields. But 50 percent to 70 percent of the profits from those investments - everything the investors donât collect -go directly to Tehranâs treasury. From there, the money funds such nefarious activities as political repression, acquisition of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological) and terrorism - most often directed against Israel. But back to Iranâs nukes. Only a united international front can contain the mullahâs atomic efforts. If we donât address Iranâs nuclear ambitions with vigor and verve, weâll end up in the same situation we have today with North Korea, where a nasty regime possesses nasty weapons. If Iran has, indeed, decided to come clean on its "peaceful" (ha!) nuclear program, sanctions and other confrontational moves may not be required - over this issue. But even so, Iranâs trading partners should stop closing their eyes to the deeds that commerce with Iran is supporting, and adjust accordingly. Because giving each other the runaround on Iran, isnât in anyoneâs interest - except Tehranâs. Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow. E-mail: peterbrookes@heritage.org Posted by: Lucky 2003-12-01 |
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