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Iran Revs Up Its Centrifuges
// For the discussion of the UN Security Council resolution
The world powers began discussing the draft UN Security Council resolution on Iran yesterday. That document was prepared by Great Britain, Germany and France and forwarded to the United States. After that, China and Russia joined in the discussion. The main stumbling block for Moscow is the point in the resolution that extends sanctions to the atomic energy station at Bushehr, which would require it to break off its cooperation with Iran in atomic energy to fulfill. Iran responded to the discussion of sanctions by launching the second stage of the centrifuges to enrich uranium.
Press secretary of the U.S. State Department Sean McCormack stated that the U.S. was not yet supporting the draft resolution. He did not specify what the sources of disagreement were, saying only that the resolution had “wide but not full” support. Washington is not expecting to reach agreement on the document with China and Russia before the end of the week.
A leak from diplomatic sources sheds some light on the differences over the resolution. The U.S. and the European countries have not agreed on whether the sanctions against Iran should include an inspection of all cargo entering or leaving the country. Washington sees a need for such a measure, which has been imposed on North Korea as well. The Europeans say that Iran's nuclear program is less well-developed and calls for less harsh measures.
Russia will enter the fray opposing sanctions on the Bushehr atomic energy station, which is the center of Russian-Iranian nuclear cooperation. European and American diplomats admitted informally last week that those sanctions would have to be omitted before Russia would agree to the resolution. Information appeared on Monday, however, that the U.S. had pressured its Western partners into adopting a stricter position. “We are reaching apposition where there will be no exceptions for anybody,” a source in the U.S. administration said under conditions of anonymity.
Tehran has responded to the discussion of the resolution this week with new statements threatening responsive actions against “the enemies of the Islamic Republic.” On Tuesday, it started up a second cascade of centrifuges to enrich uranium. Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani warned the Europeans not to take any radical steps in relation to Iran and called the proposals in the resolution “adventuristic” and threatened to break off negotiations for good if more pressure was applied to Iran.
Iran's position received unexpected support from IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei. Speaking at Georgetown University in Washington, ElBaradei stated that sanctions are not a panacea and urged the U.S. to normalize relations with Tehran. He said that the Iranians want “respect and acknowledgment as a regional leader.”
An IAEA source said yesterday that the Iranians began the test launch a second cascade of 164 centrifuges to enrich uranium this week. The centrifuges are running empty now, but observers interpret Iran's gestures as an expression of disagreement with the draft UN Security Council resolution.
Sergey Strokan
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 25, 2006
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