New Tension Between Iran and West

The Iranian situation and the tense developments in the negotiations on Iran's suspect nuclear program are attracting the attention of the international and regional public. Concerned parties have introduced numerous proposals and solutions but have not found a common voice and awareness on Teheran's nuclear program. The fact that the parties still are still pursuing their own agendas is causing public concern.

31st Anniversary of Islamic Revolution Day
Tensions are rising and the atmosphere in the Gulf is heating up after the US decision to install new missile systems and to expand their military presence in countries near Iran. Iran announced breakthroughs in nuclear technology on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of Islamic Revolution Day.

At the anniversary celebration on 11 February in Azadi Square in Teheran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had produced the first batch of 20 percent enriched uranium to be used in their reactor that produces medical isotopes. He announced that now Iran has become a nuclear country.

Installing Advanced Centrifuges
On 16 February, the Iranian president announced that his country is installing more advanced centrifuges in its main uranium enrichment plant in the Natanz nuclear complex. These centrifuges have not yet come into operation, but they are five times more effective than the older ones. At the same time, Iran reported this new development to the IAEA, and asserted that in spite of this, Teheran will be willing to stop its the nuclear enrichment at 20 percent if Iran is provided as much enriched uranium as it needs.

Previously, the director of the Iran Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO), Ali Akbar Salehi, clarified that Iran had begun to enrich uranium to 20 percent at the Natanz nuclear site under the supervision of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran also successfully tested a rocket capable of launching a satellite, and launched a domestically designed and manufactured destroyer. Meanwhile, senior Iranian leaders continue to affirm that their nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, and that they have the same right to develop nuclear technology as other countries. They said they will never give up their nuclear program, regardless of military threats. Iran also affirmed its willingness to cooperate with IAEA and other countries on this issue.

Enriching Uranium
The responses of powerful countries to Iran's nuclear program have come in at different levels, however. Some western countries have persistently rejected Iran's arguments, and accused Iran of enriching uranium in order to produce nuclear warheads. Western countries have increased their pressure and pursued the sanctions and embargoes that the US Government has imposed on Iran for more than 30 years.

The United States is leading the western countries to urge the UN Security Council to impose new sanctions on Iran. On 8 February, The United States and France announced that they will ask the United Nations to impose "tough" new sanctions on Iran. During her visit to the Gulf in mid-February, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that while the United States does not want Iran to become a nuclear power, the United States has no plan to use any means other than sanctions, and that the United States is trying to change Iran's behavior.

On 9 February, China called upon Iran to continue to negotiate on the arrangement to provide nuclear material to Iran, in view of the fact that this Islamic republic country has enhanced its uranium enrichment. China hopes that the relevant parties will strengthen efforts to promote negotiations on this matter. Russia called on Iran to improve its cooperation with IAEA in order to persuade the international community that the Iranian nuclear program serves civilian purposes. Moscow has raised its voice to express its objection to tougher sanctions capable of paralyzing Iran as some other countries have proposed.

Threats of Sanctions and Embargoes
Pressure on Iran has increased after the new director general of IAEA, Y. Amano, issued a report saying that "perhaps Iran is secretly producing nuclear warheads." A new verbal battle has broken out, with the old threats of sanctions and embargoes against Iran. This is not the first time Teheran has had to face unreasonably severe sanctions and embargoes from powerful countries. As Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to IAEA said, the IAEA report is "unjustified, biased, and, therefore, worthless." Sanctions against Iran are totally ineffective and will cause more difficulties for western countries.

The international community acknowledges that the Iran situation, and shaky relations between Teheran and Western countries, are due mainly to the hegemonic policies and overbearing attitude of the US leaders. That country has carried out a policy of hostility to Iran since the day the Islamic revolution overthrew the pro-imperialist feudal regime in 1979. It is time for all sides to deescalate, to respect each other, and to end negotiations between people who refuse to listen to each other.