Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Removes United Nations Seals on Nuclear Facilities

A view of Natanz uranium enrichment facility, 155 miles south of the Iranian capital of Tehran, March 30, 2005. The U.N. nuclear watchdog confirmed on Tuesday that Iran has broken U.N. seals at the Natanz facility, setting the stage for a showdown between the Islamic republic and the West.

ASSociated Press: U.S., Other Nations Rebuke Iran Over Seals

Iran removed seals on its nuclear facilities Tuesday, ending a two-year freeze on work there despite warnings from the United States and other countries concerned about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The United States rebuked Iran for the move, calling it a step toward creating the material for nuclear bombs. British Prime Minister
Tony Blair’s official spokesman said the international community was “running out of patience” with Tehran.

Both countries, along with France and Germany, have called on Tehran to cease nuclear activities until an agreement has been reached on the scope of its nuclear program.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Tehran was again in breach of resolutions passed by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog and said steps to restart uranium enrichment could not be justified.

“We are profoundly concerned that Iran has decided to restart research and development activities related to uranium enrichment,” Straw said in a statement.

“There was no good reason why Iran should have taken this step if its intentions are truly peaceful and it wanted to resolve long standing international concerns,” he added.

Diplomacy has FAILED.

Bring on United Nations Security Council ACTION.

Mohammad Saidi, the deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency during a press conference in Tehran. A defiant Iran resumed sensitive nuclear research after a two-year suspension, triggering fierce Western condemnation and heightening the risk of Tehran being hauled before the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Jacques Chirac actually has it RIGHT.

French President Jacques Chirac gestures as he speaks during the New Year address to foreign diplomats, at the Elysee Palace in Paris Tuesday Jan 10, 2006. Iran and North Korea will commit serious mistakes if they ignore the international community’s repeated warnings and press forward with contested nuclear programs, he said Tuesday. Chirac, in a broad address laying out French foreign policy objectives for 2006, said Iran and North Korea have a right to use nuclear energy peacefully, for energy. But the international community must ensure that agreements on nuclear security are not trampled on, he said.