Gary Fitleberg, December 7, 2003

Iran may be out of troubled water temporarily with the IAEA and Europeans but it is still in hot water with the U.S. for its nuclear program of concealment and deception. Whether or not Iran intends to develop its nuclear program for peaceful purposes or weapons of mass destruction remains to be seen but America’s intent to push the issue before the U.N. Security Council for sanctions remains keen.

Undersecretary of State John Bolton warned that the United States will act decisively to impede transfers of nuclear and missile technology to Iran, and any further violations of Iran's nuclear obligations will go before the UN Security Council.

At a security conference, Bolton also had strong words for other major powers, saying they face a test over whether they will remain united against Iran's "illegitimate" nuclear weapons program or succumb to the Islamic republic's "economic incentives and aggressive propaganda."

"For our part, the United States will continue its efforts to prevent the transfer of sensitive nuclear and ballistic missile technology to Iran, from whatever source, and will monitor the situation there with great care," said Bolton, the top administration official for nonproliferation issues.

Officials told Reuters later that Bolton's use of the phrase "from whatever source" was meant to send a message to Pakistan, Russia and China, all of whom have been accused of aiding Iran's nuclear ambitions.

He was speaking at a conference sponsored by the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis at Massachusetts' Tufts University.

The Bush administration is involved in separate serious efforts to persuade both Iran and North Korea to abandon their nuclear weapons ambitions.

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week condemned Iran for hiding sensitive nuclear research for as long as 18 years, and said any further serious breaches of nonproliferation obligations would not be tolerated.

Faced with concerted international pressure, Iran agreed to allow snap inspections of its nuclear sites and suspend uranium enrichment, which can be used to make fuel for bombs.

But Hassan Rohani, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran has no intention of scrapping its uranium-enrichment program.

Bolton said Rohani's comments made clear Iran has "mixed feelings" about its IAEA obligations. Privately, U.S. officials called Rohani's comments "stunning."

They said they raised doubts about an agreement between Iran and three European powers - France, Britain and Germany - that kept the IAEA from declaring Iran in noncompliance of its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and sending the issue to the Security Council.

Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear reactor at the Bushehr power complex, but said it would drop those plans if the IAEA presented evidence that Iran was seeking to build nuclear weapons.

The other permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, Russia, Britain and France - in various combinations have resisted U.S. demands that the Iran and North Korea nuclear cases be brought before the council for action.

Bolton said this could have long-term implications by reducing the council's role, which would be "truly unfortunate and ironic."

He reaffirmed the U.S. view that Iran's activities, including enriching uranium with centrifuges and lasers and reprocessing plutonium, can only be an attempt to develop nuclear weapons, something Iran denies flatly.

The IAEA's Nov. 26 condemnation of Iran "should leave no doubt that one more transgression by Iran will mean that the IAEA is obligated to report Iran's noncompliance to the (UN) Security Council and General Assembly," he said.

"The real issue now is whether the (IAEA) board of governors will remain together in its insistence that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is illegitimate or whether Iranian efforts to split the board through economic incentives and aggressive propaganda will succeed," he said.

Iran’s nuclear program is under close scrutiny of the entire international community and especially under the watchful eye of America and Israel. The American eagle must not blink and the rest of the world must clearly think when it assesses Iran’s nuclear program.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2003 Gary Fitleberg