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September 17, 2005

Another IAEA delay

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Nearly two weeks ago, American Thinker readers learned that the stage was being set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to excuse any Iranian nuclear malfeasance. The IAEA was producing questionable analytical work from a secret group of scientists, and this was deceptively reported by the MSM. 

There is now apparently a delay in presenting the final report to the IAEA's Board of Governors on Iran's nuclear ambitions.  The new report was due on September 3rd, and if Iran was found to be in violation of Nuclear Non—proliferation Treaty (NPT) provisions, it would be cause to refer the case to the UN Security Council.  As of this writing, there is no published report on the IAEA's website.

According to Reuters, the IAEA has not only pushed back the Board of Governors' meeting until later this month, but has also allowed the new report on Iran to be 'circulated to [unnamed] diplomats last week.'  There is nothing like maintaining confidentiality and technical integrity of a critical national security document, I always say.

Of course, the big player in all of these shenanigans is good old Mother Russia.  If Iran is reported to the UN Security Council as being non—compliant with the NPT, economic sanctions are sure to follow.  The Reuters article is uncharacteristically honest about Russia's arrangements with Iran:

'Russia has its own economic interests.  Referring its key client to the Council would automatically cancel all of its lucrative contracts with Iran,' said one diplomat.  'Besides, Moscow would never miss a chance to irritate the Americans.'

The Russians are rebuilding the commercial power reactor in Bushehr to the tune of one billion dollars.  Putin's bid to alleviate Western concerns by offering to secure and reprocess spent fuel from the reactor could benefit Russia with additional hundreds of millions of dollars, but this is more than likely a deception on their part to actually allow Iran to retain banned nuclear materials.

The geo—political game is unfolding before our eyes.  The next few months will be critical for the US and the West.  Even the EU is prepared to have Iran's case go before the Security Council.  Let's hope they stick to their guns.

Doug Hanson  09—06—05