Iran's predicament

As expected, Iran has responded angrily to the resolution adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday, which called on the country to immediately halt its uranium enrichment programme, also setting a November 25 deadline for a full review of Iran's nuclear activities.
On the face of it, this may look like a strong censure of Tehran, but it is not that bad given that it ignores the US insistence that it include a reference to the UN Security Council for sanctions.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Europe's big three, France, Germany and Britain, that have been trying for the last one year to have the issue resolved through negotiations rather than coercion.
It is unfortunate indeed that they felt it necessary to pressure Tehran via IAEA.
The enrichment freeze demand, initially drew a lot of opposition from many members of the non-aligned bloc who sit on the 35 member IAEA board, as well as Brazil and South Africa.
It took a week-long persuasion for them to give their unanimous approval to the resolution. Brazil and South Africa opposed the freeze demand because they have their own enrichment programmes.
In fact, uranium enrichment for energy generation is permissible under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). And like Brazil and South Africa, Iran too says that it needs its nuclear programme for generating electricity - an explanation unacceptable to the Western countries, in particular the US, which say that it is not convincing enough a reason, given that Iran has ample quantities of natural energy resources.
More to the point, Israel, itself a covert nuclear power, views Iran's nuclear potential with suspicion and as a serious challenge to its expansionist designs in the region. Needless to say, it would do all it can, via the US, to frustrate any attempts that might enable Iran to make to acquire nuclear weapons at any time in future.
In fact, the neo-cons surrounding President George W. Bush have for quite sometime been pointing their fingers at Iran along with Syria. Had Iraq not turned into a quagmire for them that it has, they would have invaded Iran by now.
Even now there is a strong likelihood that if Tehran does not roll back its uranium enrichment programme, even if it is peaceful, on its own, then Israel will launch a direct assault on its nuclear facilities.
At present, Washington is pressing for the issue to be taken up by the UN Security Council for the passage of punitive sanctions against Iran. It is still hoping to achieve that objective.
Speaking for his government, the US Energy Secretary, Spencer Abraham, could not have expressed a stronger desire for such outcome as he averred, "the clock is now ticking on Iran to fully comply with the resolution and abandon its nuclear weapons programme or face referral to the UN Security Council."
The perils of defiance, of course, are not lost on the Iranian leadership. Hence it had welcomed the mediatory initiative undertaken by Europe's three major powers a year ago.
After its meetings with the foreign ministers of these countries, the Tehran government had agreed to cooperate with the IAEA. It had suspended its uranium enrichment programme, and also accepted an additional protocol - though it remains to be ratified by the country's parliament - for intrusive inspections by the international nuclear watchdog. But given the adversarial nature of US-Iran relations, provocative statements emanating from Washington have only been making it more and more difficult for Iran to comply with IAEA requirements.
Understandably, it has accused Europe's 'big three' of breaking an accord on its co-operation by moving the present resolution. It has threatened to block tough inspections if the issue is taken to the UN Security Council, as desired by the US. Yet it has wisely decided to keep open the door of negotiations with the European countries, saying it would accept enrichment suspension through negotiations.
For reasons of self-respect, it also added the proviso, "if it is a voluntary decision." A lot, in the days to come, will depend on how well the Europeans employ their diplomatic skills to resolve the issue through negotiations, without causing any affront to Iran's sense of national respect and dignity.