Friday, October 02, 2009

Iran succeeds in stalling sanctions


Iran, Major Powers Reach Agreement -Glenn Kessler

The U.S. and Iran reached an agreement that would greatly reduce Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium. The sudden show of cooperation by Tehran reduces for now the threat of additional sanctions.

The ultimate U.S. goal is suspension of Iran's uranium-enrichment activities - and Tehran insists that it will never take that step.
(Washington Post)


Geneva Talks Rehabilitate Iran Regime -Editorial

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency won't find anything incriminating at the Qom facility. Having lied about it for years, the Iranians now have plenty of time to clean the place out. A freeze on enrichment used to be the U.S. precondition for talks with Iran. Now the U.S. and Europeans say that in exchange merely for a promise to send low-enriched uranium outside Iran for enrichment, they'll freeze any additional sanctions. Iran has timed its olive branch well.

The Europeans are more frustrated with past Iranian stalling than is Washington and have started to hanker for tougher measures. Those demands will now be muted.

Expect Iran to follow the North Korean model, stringing the West along, lying and wheedling, striking deals only to renege and start over. In the end, North Korea tested a nuclear device.

This supposed fresh start in Geneva only gives Ahmadinejad and Iran's mullahs new legitimacy.
(Wall Street Journal)




Tehran's Worst Fear Is a Human Rights Campaign -Anne Applebaum

What if President Obama held up a photograph of Neda, the young girl murdered by Iranian authorities, at his next press conference? What if he did that at every press conference?

I bet that would unnerve President Ahmadinejad and even the supreme leader far more than [sanctions, like] the loss of some German machine tool imports or Dutch tomatoes.
(Slate)


No Doubt about Iran's Nuclear Intentions -Shaul Rosenfeld

Any logical person would realize that no state that is home to giant oil and gas reserves, would be willing to pay intolerable economic, social, and diplomatic prices in order to acquire nuclear energy only for civilian needs.
(Ynet News)


Iran Has Bought Itself Time -Catherine Philp

Tehran's claims that the Qom plant was its only hidden site are hard to prove. The heat is off Iran for now - but it will not stay that way forever.
(Times-UK)
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