Iran's Nuclear Program
The Iranian government has declared that it will continue to enrich uranium and that the enriched uranium will only be used to power energy producing power plants. The United States government and many of its European allies are suspicious of Iran's intentions and believe the uranium will be enriched to the level that it can be used to make nuclear weapons.
The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came into office with little support from the political establishment and the populace at large. He needed a galvanizing issue to move politicians and citizens to back him and instill a feeling of nationalism. He has found it in the enrichment of nuclear fuel. With The United States and U.N. Security Council attempting to get Iran to cease enrichment of nuclear fuel, he has an "us against the world" issue to gain him the popularity and support he was looking for. He is very unlikely to give in to world demands that Iran cease uranium enrichment as it would likely result in his being removed from office.
On the U.N. Security Council, Russia and China have so far refused to back sanctions against Iran. Russia's motives are obvious. It has contracts in the billions to supply nuclear generators equipment and building expertise at stake. China's are more circumspect. It may be that China needs Iranian oil to fuel its expanding economy. For both, voting for sanctions would jeopardize their economic interests.
The US in conjunction with the U.N. Security Council will have no success with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in agreeing to halt uranium enrichment and will likely have to wait for another president to be elected and replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Only another person holding the presidency can possibly back down and negotiate with the world on the uranium enrichment problem.
5/14/06 ( 135 )
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