Iran Nuclear Watch,  Politics

Iran Nuclear Watch: Rice – “United States Will Look at the Full Range of Options Available to the United Nations.”

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, seen here 12 April 2006, said the United Nations must take action against Iran’s nuclear programme and highlighted part of the UN charter that allows sanctions to escalate into military action.

AFP: Rice highlights ‘full range’ of weapons open to UN against Iran

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United Nations must take action against Iran’s nuclear programme and highlighted part of the UN charter that allows sanctions to escalate into military action.

Rice said that faced with Iran’s repeated refusal to halt activities that Washington suspects hides work towards making a nuclear bomb, the United States “will look at the full range of options available to the United Nations.”

“There is no doubt that Iran continues to defy the will of the international community,” Rice said, speaking after Iran’s hardline regime dismissed appeals from the UN atomic watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei to freeze its controversial research.

No doubt that John Bolton and Condoleezza Rice will push for TOUGH United Nations sanctions against Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recent bloviations may, in fact, aid in pursuading recalcitrant China and Russia to agree. However, Flap believes it will be secret economic deals with these two permanent members of the Security Council that will pursuade them to sanction Iran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed there was “no room for defeat and retreat” over the nuclear work he insists is peaceful.

But Rice declared: “When the Security Council reconvenes, there will have to be some consequence for that action.”

She suggested chapter seven of the UN Charter which sets out specific action that can be taken when there is a threat to international peace or an act of aggression.

“One thing the Security Council has, and the IAEA does not have, is the ability to compel, through chapter seven resolutions, member states of the UN to obey the will of the international system,” Rice said.

“And I’m certain that we’ll look at measures that could be taken to ensure that Iran knows that they really have no choice but to comply.”

A statement approved by the UN Security Council last month gives Iran until April 28 to comply with IAEA demands to suspend its programme. It will then consider follow-up action.

Chapter Seven resolutions have a number of articles that can apply:

Article 41 of the chapter allows for sanctions, including economic and transport measures or the severance of diplomatic relations.

Article 42 states that if those measures fail, the UN Security Council “may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security”.

Rice condemned the Iranian negotiating ploy which US official say is to secure concessions and then still refuse to end the nuclear research.

“There is no doubt that Iran has continued salami-slicing tactics — a little bit here, and then a little bit more, and then a little bit more — despite the fact that the international community has said very clearly, ‘Stop’,” said the secretary of state.

“I want to just note that the Iranian regime is, of course, isolating itself. It is doing this despite the great desire of the international community to engage and to reach out to the Iranian people,” said Rice.

Stay tuned…..

Previous:

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – “We Won’t Hold Talks With Anyone About the Right of the Iranian Nation (to Enrich Uranium)”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Could Produce a Nuclear Bomb in 16 Days

Iran Nuclear Watch: Condoleezza Rice – Iran Uranium Enrichment Will Require “Strong Steps” from the United Nations Security Council

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran to Move to Large-Scale Uranium Enrichment

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Cannot Confirm Uranium Enrichment Claim

Iran Nuclear Watch: Mark Steyn – Facing Down Iran

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – “Iran Has Joined the Club of Nuclear Countries”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Producing Enriched Uranium

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – “Iran Won’t Back Down ‘ONE IOTA’ in Nuclear FLAP

Iran Nuclear Watch: Bush – “Wild Speculation”

Iran Nuclear Watch: White House Dampens Talk of Iran Military Strike

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – “United States Engaged in Psychological War”

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Nuclear Attack on Iran – “Not on the Agenda”

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran – Redux

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Considers Use of Nuclear Weapons Against Iran

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.


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