After five days of intense debate at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, the UN watchdog organization has passed a unanimous resolution on Iran that rebukes the Islamic country for shortcomings in its dealing with the IAEA.
"It is a compromise text that tries to make everyone happy, or rather make everyone less unhappy," one diplomat from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), a group of 13 developing countries involved in the IAEA discussions, told EurasiaNet.
The resolution, presented by the UK, France and Germany, "deplores" that "Iran's cooperation has not been as full, timely and proactive as it should have been." It goes on to express "concern" that almost two years after inquiries into Iran's nuclear program began in August 2002 "a number of questions remain outstanding."
Despite this, the final resolution is a much watered-down version of the original draft. Noticeably missing from the document is a deadline, or "trigger mechanism," for investigations into Iran's nuclear program -- a provision supported by the US. With a deadline in place for IAEA findings, a path would have been cleared for the issue to be eventually raised in the UN Security Council, a necessary precursor to the imposition of economic sanctions if Iran is found to be in violation of international agreements governing nuclear weapons.
Even while maintaining that the resolution was the work of political pressure from Washington, Iran has expressed satisfaction with the document. "Cooperation between Iran and IAEA is at its best," Hussain Mousavian, Iran's chief spokesperson at the IAEA, told the Iranian news service Mehr on June 18. "There are no negative points in the... resolution on Iran."
The resolution does not link the country's nuclear activities with military programs and makes no mention of possible punitive actions to be taken if IAEA does not gain full information about Iran's nuclear projects. Nor is direct mention made of Iran's purchase of magnets for P2 centrifuges which can be used to enrich uranium, though the resolution's reference to outstanding questions implies that this issue has not been resolved. An earlier criticism of Iran for failing to disclose the purchase was dropped from the final resolution after Iran presented an audio tape that documented that the sale had been disclosed to the IAEA.
Mousavian stated that the "ambiguities" surrounding the centrifuges are being addressed "in cooperation between Iran and the IAEA," the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Several factors appear to have led to the resolution's change in tone. Aside from pressure from the NAM to back off from a more aggressive draft document, Iran has also conducted a steady campaign to have the resolution steer clear of points that imputed military aims to its nuclear power program.
Earlier this week, President Mohammad Khatami warned that Iran would resume uranium enrichment if the "very bad" draft resolution was passed. The Majlis, Iran's parliament, followed suit with a threat not to ratify the protocol authorizing surprise inspections of nuclear sites. In remarks to reporters after the resolution's adoption, Mousavian stated that the protocol had now been recommended for parliament's approval.
Aside from Iran, the UK, Germany and France have also expressed satisfaction with the document for allowing them to appear resolute yet diplomatic about resolving questions surrounding Iran's nuclear program. All three countries areactive trade partners with Iran.
But how far that desire for diplomacy will coincide with Washington's interests remains to be seen, however. For now, the White House has been more tempered in its response. While the resolution maintains pressure on Iran at a time when the presidential campaign has limited the White House's scope for maneuver, the US still argues that Iran's nuclear program violates international non-proliferation agreements. "The US continues to believe [that]... Iran should be reported to the UN Security Council and that its nuclear program presents a threat to international peace and security," said US Ambassador to the IAEA Kenneth Brill. For now, the continuation of Iran's dialogue with the IAEA has delayed US efforts to bring the issue before the Security Council.
Nonetheless, the controversy shows little sign of dying down. Still under discussion is a heavy-water nuclear reactor planned for construction in the city of Arak and development of uranium hexaflouride, a necessary ingredient for enriched uranium.
At the same time, satellite photos taken in March 2004 and shown to the IAEA indicated that buildings have been razed at Lavizan Shiyan, a Tehran location previously suspected to be a nuclear weapons site, the American television network ABC News reported on June 16.
US State Department spokesperson John Boucher said that the action was in keeping with Iran's attempts to conceal its nuclear weapons program. Iran has denied the charges.
