With friends like Russia and China, Iran gets by at the UN
UNITED NATIONS — So far the UN Security Council has failed to even slap the wrist of Iran’s Atomic Ayatollahs for their uranium enrichment program. Indeed the Security Council unanimously passed a non-legally binding Presidential Statement calling on Teheran to cease elements of its nuclear research and development and to refer the whole issue back to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Islamic Iran for its part took on a characteristically defiant posture with their UN Ambassador stating brusquely that his country was “allergic to pressure and threats and intimidation.”
Certainly the Security Council underlined the crucial importance of re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development. Moreover the statement expressed the conviction that Iran’s full and verified compliance would guarantee that its nuclear program was for exclusively peaceful purposes.
Specifically the statement notes “the particular importance of re-establishing full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the IAEA.”
Indeed Iran’s nuclear development has two elements — Russian reactors for civilian electric production, but beyond that illegal scientific research serving as the building blocks of an atomic bomb.
Clearly the Council’s five Permanent members have the usual split; the U.S., United Kingdom and France are well beyond being “seriously concerned” over the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear proliferation. The Europeans, especially Germany, are united over thwarting any further tricks from the mendacious mullahs. Over the past three years while Britain, France and Germany talked with Teheran over the nuclear issue, Islamic Republic took the scientific steps such as uranium enrichment which brings the regime closer to producing atomic weapons.
Still once this matter went into the Security Council, the game became infinitely more complicated. Russia and the People’s Republic of China, both allies of Iran, could and probably would, veto any tough resolution. In the current case they even seriously watered down the statement. Both have deep commercial and energy ties to Iran and neither Moscow nor Beijing wish to see criticism of Teheran go beyond polite rebukes. That’s precisely why earlier drafts of the Presidential Statement which had specific demands upon Iran (equally non legally binding) were also deleted.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, (a hardball playing former UN Ambassador) stated “any ideas involving the use of force or pressure in resolving the issue are counterproductive and cannot be supported.” Moscow’s tough tact over Iran, despite silly optimism of a change in some Western capitals, show that in the final analysis national interests in Russia and China will sufficiently stall, sidetrack or stop the Security Council from taking meaningfully powerful measures against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
While Secretary of State Condi Rice stated “Iran is now more isolated than ever,” don’t be so certain that Washington will get the results it wants.
Given that Iran remains the world’s second largest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Producing countries (OPEC), don’t assume that Teheran’s radical fundamentalist regime would not be willing to jolt global markets with a few well placed threats.
The diplomatic compromise then appears the classic Hobson’s Choice — take what you can get as the options are increasingly limited.
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com. |
