IAEA adopts resolution on Iran's nuclear program

[gilliam]

The UN atomic watchdog adopted by vote Saturday an EU proposal that sets Iran up for referral to the UN Security Council, a spokesman said, in what would be a sharp escalation of the West’s face-off with the Islamic Republic. The vote was by 22-1, with 12 abstentions on the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA spokesman Peter Rickwood told reporters.

africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=050924153619.1qdfb68y.php

 

[Ani_Ibi]

UN nuclear watchdog approves EU motion on Iran

Twelve nations – including China and Russia – abstained. Venezuela cast the only vote against… The council possibly could impose sanctions if it determined that Iran violated the treaty, but that is unlikely since China and Russia, which wield Security Council vetoes, oppose those efforts. Saturday’s approval reflected board concern over Iran’s “long history of concealment and deception”…

Tehran warned Friday that, if the resolution was approved, it could retaliate by starting uranium enrichment – a possible path to nuclear arms – and reduce IAEA powers to inspect its activities… The Europeans for years avoided U.S. demands… to haul Iran before the Security Council. They reluctantly swung behind Washington last month after Tehran effectively walked away from talks with Britain, France and Germany…

I find Iran’s response to be bizarre. They are saying that if IAEA hassles them about developing nuclear weapons and about concealing their activities then they are going to go ahead and build nuclear weapons and conceal their activities. D-oh!