Special Report: Iran Nuclear
Crisis
By Wu Zhiqiang
UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The stalemate
surrounding Iran's nuclear program looks set to persist despite a new resolution
adopted by the UN Security Council slapping additional sanctions aimed at
pressing Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities,
analysts say.
DUAL-TRACK APPROACH
Like the previous two sanctions resolutions on
Tehran, the latest one continues to pursue a dual-track approach that
incorporates moderate pressure and an incentive package in the hope that Iran
would be driven back to the negotiating table and that its nuclear issue could
be solved through diplomatic means.
Sanction measures in the new resolution include
travel restrictions and bans for more Iranians, an expansion of asset freezes,
curbs on dual-use items, export credit, financial monitoring, and cargo
inspections on aircraft and vessels. However, observers say the measures remain
moderate and are far from capable of crippling Iran.
As has been pointed out by Chinese Ambassador Wang
Guangya, the new resolution is not aimed at punishing Iran but urging it to
return to the negotiating table, thus reactivating a new round of diplomatic
efforts.
"The sanction measures are not targeted at the
Iranian people and will not affect the normal economic and financial activities
between Iran and other countries," Wang said.
As a matter of fact, the new resolution has left
ample room for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Resolution
1803 stressed the authority and role of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), commended progress in cooperation between Iran and the IAEA and pledged
continued support for collaboration between the two sides.
It also emphasized the readiness of Britain, China,
France, Germany, Russia and the United States to deal with the Iranian nuclear
issue on the basis of a package deal they offered in June 2006.
"All the sanction measures are reversible," Chinese
Ambassador Wang said. "If Iran suspends uranium enrichment and reprocessing
activities and complies with the relevant IAEA and Security Council resolutions,
the sanctions will be suspended, and even terminated."
In a display of the six country's resolve for the
pursuit of a diplomatic solution, their foreign ministers issued a joint
statement Monday after the resolution's adoption, encouraging the European
Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana to meet with Saeed Jalili, the
secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to "address the interests
and concerns of both sides in a manner which can gradually create the conditions
for the opening of negotiations."
FAILURE TO ACHIEVE UNANIMITY
In contrast to the previous two sanctions resolutions
on Iran, the latest one failed to clear the 15-member Security Council with
unanimity, a goal the sponsors tried hard to achieve so as to highlight the
resolve of the international community and the isolation of Tehran.
In late February, Britain, France and Germany drafted
a resolution based on elements agreed in Berlin in January by foreign ministers
of Germany and the five permanent members of the Security Council, and
distributed the draft to members of the council.
South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam and Libya raised
reservations about the draft, arguing that slapping stronger sanctions at a time
when Iran makes progress in cooperating with the IAEA would hurt such
collaboration. Some of them even hinted they would vote against or abstain.
To alley the four countries' misgivings, the
co-sponsors made some non-substantial revisions to the draft, such as further
emphasis on and support for the role of the IAEA in solving the Iranian nuclear
issue and reference to the observation of national and international law in
cargo inspections of Iranian aircraft and vessels.
To garner maximum support, Britain and France
postponed the vote twice to allow for more diplomatic consultations.
South Africa, Vietnam and Libya eventually voted in
favor of the resolution, but Indonesia held its ground and abstained, dashing
Western countries' hope of a unanimous outcome.
CURTAINS UP FOR NEW ROUND OF WRANGLING
Under the new resolution, IAEA Director-General
Mohamed ElBaradei would file a report to the UN Security Council within 90days
on whether Iran has established full and sustained suspension of all uranium
enrichment and reprocessing activities.
If Tehran is found to have complied with UN
requirements, the Security Council would lift the sanctions. Otherwise, Iran
would face "further appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the
Charter of the United Nations," which means more resolutions prescribing even
harsher sanctions.
Statements made by Iranian leaders in recent days
show no signs that Tehran will budge; neither is Washington letting up its
pressure on Tehran. The United States has recently come up with intelligence
alleging that Iran conducted "weaponization studies." Tehran says the
information was concocted.
On the same day that the UN Security Council voted on
the new resolution, ElBaradei told the opening of an IAEA meeting of its board
of governors that Iran needs to clear up such allegations.
"I urge Iran to be as active and as cooperative as
possible in working with the agency to clarify this matter of serious concern,"
ElBaradei said.
However, just before the 15-member Security Council
voted on Resolution 1803, Deputy Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization
Mohammad Saeedi warned that "any irrational, illogical and unjudicial behavior
will not only fail to solve Iran's nuclear issue but will also make related
equations further complicated and tougher."
At the United Nations, Iranian Ambassador Mohammad
Khazaee, anticipating adoption of a new sanctions resolution, described the
Security Council's decision as "unjust and irrational."
It appears that curtains are already up for a fresh
round of wrangling and haggling over the Iranian nuclear issue, analysts say.
