Friday, August 17, 2007

Iran Under Pressure on Nuclear Issue

French Ambassador to the United Nations Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters today that the Security Council might not wait till October to impose a third round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. Ripert said Iran has not delivered what the Security Council had asked and it will have to boost the international sanctions (AFP, 17 August 2007).

Earlier this week, President Hu Jiatao of China warned President Ahmadinejad in their meeting in Bishkek the China wants Iran to show “flexibility” and to resolve pending issues on its nuclear program (Xinhua, 15 august 2007). Hu told the Iranian president that he wants to see Iran moving toward a “correct solution,” a Communist Party coded language for demanding Iran to abide with the UN Security Council’s resolutions and to suspend its uranium enrichment program. Iran analysts agree that Hu’s language was the strongest ever used by the Chinese on Iran’s nuclear issue.

On a related development, Russia has demanded Iran to fully disclose the previously-confidential details of its nuclear program. Russia has suspended the delivery of nuclear fuel for Bushehr nuclear power plant pending Tehran’s acceptance of key demands of UN Security Council.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown did forecast Iran’s predicament in late July by saying that there will be a third UN Security Council resolution in relation to Iran soon.

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