Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens to End Random Nuclear Inspections

New Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh from Iran speaks during a press conference, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2006, at Vienna’s International Center.

ASSociated Press: Iran Threatens to Block Nuke Inspections

Iran threatened on Friday to block inspections of its nuclear sites if confronted by the U.N. Security Council over its atomic activities. The hard-line president reaffirmed his country’s intention to produce nuclear energy.

France, Britain and Germany quickly responded that they were not demanding sanctions against Tehran just yet.

The European Union has BLINKED again.

The United States and Israel cannot rely on these supposed allies to contain Iran.

And the United Nations?

The United States just as with Saddam Hussein and Iraq will have to go it ALONE.

On Thursday the three countries, backed by the United States, said that nuclear talks with Iran had reached a dead end after more than two years of acrimonious negotiations and the issue should be referred to the Security Council.

However, they refrained from calling on the 15-nation council to impose sanctions and said they remained open to more talks.

For her part, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said a “strong message” had to be sent to Tehran but said she was not ready to talk about what action should be taken to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

A Dead End – right?

What will be the POINT of NO RETURN?

But……..

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki

Iran responded Friday by saying that if it were confronted by the council, it would have to stop cooperating with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

That would be, among other things, the end of random inspections, said Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

“In case Iran is referred to the U.N. Security Council …, the government will be obliged to end all of its voluntary cooperation,” the television quoted Mottaki as saying.

The Iranians will bluster and stall again.

Israeli intelligence has estimated no more than a year before Iran is ready to make the nuclear material required for nuclear weapons. Although there is disagreement between intelligence services, is the United States and Israel poised to wait while Iran’s centrifuges enrich uranium?

This recent undated satellite image provided by Space Imaging/Inta SpaceTurk shows the once-secret Natanz nuclear complex in Natanz, Iran, about 150 miles south of Tehran. Iran broke U.N. seals on its nuclear enrichment facility Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006 pledging only to conduct research, but the international nuclear watchdog said Tehran also planned small-scale enrichment of uranium _ a process that can produce fuel for nuclear weapons.

Iran has been voluntarily allowing short-notice IAEA inspections since 2003.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed talk of possible sanctions and said Iran will “continue the path of production of the nuclear energy.”

“Iranian people do not allow foreigners to block their progress,” state-run radio quoted him as saying.

Last year Iran adopted a law requiring the government to block intrusive inspections of Iran’s facilities if the IAEA refers the Iranian program to the council.

The law also requires the Iranian government to resume all nuclear activities that it had stopped voluntarily, foremost among them enriching uranium.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who called the Holocaust a “Myth.”

So, here comes the BLINK by our European allies……..

France said Friday that it favors a step-by-step approach with Iran over its nuclear program and that any sanctions request at this stage would be premature.

“We, like our partners, like the British and the Germans, consider that this co-request for sanctions is premature for the moment,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said.

Now Germany……..

Germany also said that talk of sanctions against Iran is “premature.”

“For now, we want to consult with our partners – above all, to bring on board those who of course will be indispensable partners in Vienna at the IAEA and later in New York,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said. The IAEA is based in Vienna.

And Britain…….

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had “strong suspicion” that Iran wanted to build a nuclear bomb but stressed that there was no categorical evidence to prove that.

“To quote the White House ‘Iran is not Iraq’,” Straw said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp.

He added that while Iran could face Security Council sanctions for resuming its nuclear activities, military action is not being considered.

If Flap were in Israel he would NOT be reasured or consoled by these statements of SUPPOSED allies.

The United States and Israel are ALONE with regard to the prevention of Iran manufacturing fissionable material for nucelar weapons.

There will be additional meetings, including next week of the IEAE and eventually a United Nations Security Council referral but will it be after the “POINT OF NO RETURN?”

“I recommend to European countries that they should separate the issue of research from production of nuclear fuel and not make propaganda over research which is natural and normal but had unjustly been subject to suspension in the past,” Mottaki was quoted as saying.

Mottaki said Iran was prepared for talks with Europeans over uranium enrichment.

“If they have any discussion in the stage of nuclear fuel production, we are prepared to continue our talks with the three European countries,” he said.

Mottaki, however, insisted that Iran won’t give up its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to possess the whole nuclear fuel cycle – from extracting uranium ore to enriching it.

“No one can take this right from the Iranian nation. Regaining this right doesn’t require permission from any country,” the television quoted him as saying.

Is there any doubt that Iran will proceed with their current course?

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (L) and the foreign minister’s spokeman Mohammad Reza Asefi sit in a press conference in Tehran, Iran on September 11, 2005.

Israel applauded the plan to bring Iran before the Security Council.

“We believe the combination of fanatical ideology together with nuclear weaponry is a combination that no thinking person can feel comfortable with,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

Israel considers Tehran to be its greatest threat, and recent statements by Ahmadinejad calling for Israel’s destruction have added to those fears. Israeli officials have repeatedly said international diplomatic pressure is the best way to end Iran’s nuclear program, with military action considered only as a last resort.

How long will the United States and Israel dance with Iran?

NOT LONG! And with NO HELP from the Europeans.

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