Iran Nuclear Watch: United States WARNS Iran of “Painful Consequences”

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, speaks during the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual Policy Conference in Washington, Sunday, March 5, 2006. Bolton told the AIPAC conference that a failure by the U.N. Security Council to deal with Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons would ‘do lasting damage to the credibility of the council.’ ‘The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses,’ Bolton said, ‘the harder and more intractable it will become to solve.’

Reuters: Iran warned of consequences of nuclear ambitions

The United States on Sunday warned that Iran faced “painful consequences” if it continued sensitive nuclear activities and said the problem would become increasingly difficult to resolve if the international community did not confront it.

Ahead of what could be a crucial international meeting on Iran on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations John Bolton reaffirmed that the United States will use “all tools at our disposal” to thwart Iran’s nuclear program and is already “beefing up defensive measures” to do so.

Has the United States and Israel had ENOUGH? Is the POINT OF NO RETURN at hand with tomorrow’s IAEA meeting and possible Iran referral to the United Nations Security Council?

In the meantime in Iran:

Iranian women shout slogans at the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, late founder of the Islamic Republic, during a gathering in support of Iran’s nuclear programme in Tehran March 5, 2006.

Iranian children attend a gathering in support of Iran’s nuclear programme at the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, late founder of the Islamic Republic, in Tehran March 5, 2006.

An Iranian woman holds up a picture of Iran’s late founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at his tomb during a gathering in support of Iran’s nuclear programme in Tehran March 5, 2006.

The QUOTES:

“The Iran regime must be made aware that if it continues down the path of international isolation, there will be tangible and painful consequences,” he told 4,500 delegates to the annual convention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the leading pro-Israel U.S. lobbying group.

Bolton said Iran poses a “comprehensive threat” as a state-sponsor of terrorism and a nuclear aspirant, and so “we must be prepared to … use all the tools at our disposal to stop the threat.”

“The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses, the harder and more intractable it will become to solve,” he warned.

Like Flap said the first time……..

Bolton reaffirmed that Washington does not see the security council moving quickly to impose sanctions on Iran. Veto-wielding members Russia and China have made clear their reluctance.

But he said many other governments have begun to speak publicly of sanctions, implying they may take action outside the security council.

The United States has had sweeping sanctions on Iran since after the 1979 Iranian revolution, but it is looking at ways to further use its Proliferation Security Initiative to deny Iran materials it needs for its nuclear program, Bolton said.

John Bolton’s missive is a mini-shot across Iran’s bow.

How will Iran respond?

The stage has been set for tomorrow’s IAEA meeting.

Stay tuned…….