The United States is revving up efforts to block international arms sales to Iran, but says Russia will not allow a total ban.
The U.S. is hoping to tighten the ring of sanctions around the Islamic Republic after it has once again ignored a United Nations Security Council deadline, this one for February 21st, to halt its uranium enrichment program.
The Council voted on December 23, 2006 to impose a ban on transfer of nuclear and missile technology, as well as a travel ban on personnel involved in such activities. Iran was given 60 days to end the uranium enrichment program or face additional, tighter sanctions.
Iranians scrambled this week to head off implementation of economic sanctions threatened by the UN if their nuclear development activities did not end by Wednesday, but the Islamic Republic took no substantial action towards compliance.
Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, assured the international community Tuesday that his country was “looking for ways and means to start negotiations,” as he entered another meeting Tuesday with Mohamed El-Baradei, head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.
El-Baradei is expected to issue a report Wednesday warning that the Islamic Republic has expanded, rather than curtailed, its uranium enrichment activities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also told a news conference in Vienna on Tuesday, “The way to solve problems through diplomacy is dialogue. We hope that negotiations are not halted and that Iran will receive its rights and that all concerns can be eliminated.”
But Iran’s claim that it seeks a negotiated settlement to resolve the crisis over its drive to develop nuclear capabilities was mitigated by threats and bluster aimed at the United States.
Larijani told reporters that if the Americans “move into the boxing ring, they would have problems…But if they sit at the chess table, then both sides would come to a result.”
Russia Likely to Block U.S. Resolution
Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem quoted by Haaretz said Tuesday that Russia will not allow the UN to totally ban arms sales to Iran.
As recently as late November, Russia sold a surface-to-air missile defense system to the Islamic Republic, to protect its nuclear installations. According to sources within the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), Russia sold the TOR-M1 surface-to-air missile system, a mobile, integrated air defense system designed for operation at medium, low and very low altitudes against various aircraft and guided missiles.
Deliveries of the system, which is effective against precision guided weapons and cruise missiles, began last November.
Russia has also consistently been at the forefront of efforts within the five-member UN Security Council to block resolutions to force Iran to comply with the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by imposing sanctions.
Russia has also built at least one nuclear facility in Iran.
Iran has steadily continued to carry out its uranium enrichment program, with installation of 3,000 new centrifuge machines used in nuclear energy development, planned for completion this year.
When uranium is enriched to a low level, it becomes usable for domestic nuclear energy. Enriched to a higher level, however, it is then possible for use in building a nuclear bomb.
Israel, the U.S. and now the European Union as well suspect that Iran is actually working toward the development of a nuclear weapon.
U.S. Has Created a Backup Plan if Talks Fail
The United States has already formulated a “Plan B” in case an attack against Iran becomes inevitable, according to a BBC report published Tuesday.
According to reporter Frank Gardner, two triggers were identified as reasons for the U.S. to unleash an attack against Iran – confirmation that the Islamic Republic is developing a nuclear weapon, or “a high-casualty attack on U.S. forces in neighboring Iraq… if it were traced directly back to Tehran.”
American military targets reportedly include nuclear facilities in the Iranian cities of Isfahan, Nataanz, Arak and Bushehr, as well as air and naval bases, missile facilities and command-and-control centers.
The U.S. has denied it has plans to attack -- and Iran continues to deny that it is developing an atomic bomb. A recent internal report by the European Union has documented, however, that the Iranians are indeed gearing their uranium enrichment program toward eventual development of a nuclear weapon.
The U.S. is hoping to tighten the ring of sanctions around the Islamic Republic after it has once again ignored a United Nations Security Council deadline, this one for February 21st, to halt its uranium enrichment program.
The Council voted on December 23, 2006 to impose a ban on transfer of nuclear and missile technology, as well as a travel ban on personnel involved in such activities. Iran was given 60 days to end the uranium enrichment program or face additional, tighter sanctions.
Iranians scrambled this week to head off implementation of economic sanctions threatened by the UN if their nuclear development activities did not end by Wednesday, but the Islamic Republic took no substantial action towards compliance.
Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, assured the international community Tuesday that his country was “looking for ways and means to start negotiations,” as he entered another meeting Tuesday with Mohamed El-Baradei, head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.
El-Baradei is expected to issue a report Wednesday warning that the Islamic Republic has expanded, rather than curtailed, its uranium enrichment activities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also told a news conference in Vienna on Tuesday, “The way to solve problems through diplomacy is dialogue. We hope that negotiations are not halted and that Iran will receive its rights and that all concerns can be eliminated.”
But Iran’s claim that it seeks a negotiated settlement to resolve the crisis over its drive to develop nuclear capabilities was mitigated by threats and bluster aimed at the United States.
Larijani told reporters that if the Americans “move into the boxing ring, they would have problems…But if they sit at the chess table, then both sides would come to a result.”
Russia Likely to Block U.S. Resolution
Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem quoted by Haaretz said Tuesday that Russia will not allow the UN to totally ban arms sales to Iran.
As recently as late November, Russia sold a surface-to-air missile defense system to the Islamic Republic, to protect its nuclear installations. According to sources within the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), Russia sold the TOR-M1 surface-to-air missile system, a mobile, integrated air defense system designed for operation at medium, low and very low altitudes against various aircraft and guided missiles.
Deliveries of the system, which is effective against precision guided weapons and cruise missiles, began last November.
Russia has also consistently been at the forefront of efforts within the five-member UN Security Council to block resolutions to force Iran to comply with the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by imposing sanctions.
Russia has also built at least one nuclear facility in Iran.
Iran has steadily continued to carry out its uranium enrichment program, with installation of 3,000 new centrifuge machines used in nuclear energy development, planned for completion this year.
When uranium is enriched to a low level, it becomes usable for domestic nuclear energy. Enriched to a higher level, however, it is then possible for use in building a nuclear bomb.
Israel, the U.S. and now the European Union as well suspect that Iran is actually working toward the development of a nuclear weapon.
U.S. Has Created a Backup Plan if Talks Fail
The United States has already formulated a “Plan B” in case an attack against Iran becomes inevitable, according to a BBC report published Tuesday.
According to reporter Frank Gardner, two triggers were identified as reasons for the U.S. to unleash an attack against Iran – confirmation that the Islamic Republic is developing a nuclear weapon, or “a high-casualty attack on U.S. forces in neighboring Iraq… if it were traced directly back to Tehran.”
American military targets reportedly include nuclear facilities in the Iranian cities of Isfahan, Nataanz, Arak and Bushehr, as well as air and naval bases, missile facilities and command-and-control centers.
The U.S. has denied it has plans to attack -- and Iran continues to deny that it is developing an atomic bomb. A recent internal report by the European Union has documented, however, that the Iranians are indeed gearing their uranium enrichment program toward eventual development of a nuclear weapon.