By Eve Copeland and Cecily Boggs
For many months, Iran's nuclear ambitions have taken center stage in both American and European news and analytical reports. On September 15, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released what has been described by the Financial Times as "one of the most damning reports it has yet published on Iran's nuclear programme.'
According to the Financial Times:
The IAEA also reported that Iran had raised the number of centrifuges enriching uranium by 500 to 3,820 since May and was testing an advanced model able to refine nuclear fuel two to three times faster, in continuing defiance of UN resolutions. A senior IAEA official said that the agency would press ahead with attempts to get Iran to hand over information needed to explain intelligence material showing it had once linked its nuclear programme to the testing of high explosives and to the modification of a missile cone in a way suitable for a nuclear warhead.
This story was reported widely in Europe, but inexplicably seemed to be ignored by the U.S. media.
***September 10, the leading French daily Le Figaro reported that, with international attention focused on the crisis in Georgia, the Israeli government feared the international community was forgetting the threat posed by Iran. Based on our review this week, the Israelis are perhaps not totally incorrect, at least with regard to the American media.
Here is a sample of some the European reports:
Israel fears that the Iranian threat is being forgotten
Le Figaro, September 10, 2008
• With the crisis in Georgia escalating, Israel fears that the international community is forgetting the threat posed by Iran. The article reports that the Israeli government is divided on how to address the issue.
According to IAEA Iran has not stopped its enrichment activities
AFP report in Liberation, September 15, 2008
• The IAEA reported that Iran had not ceased its enrichment activities and the United States is threatening new sanctions if it does not stop.
Iran is blocking nuclear inquiry, says UN
Financial Times, September 15, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1238bd08-8347-11dd-907e-000077b07658.html
• According to the IAEA, Iran has been secretly gathering more intelligence on uranium enrichment, while increasing its nuclear program. Because of the Georgian crisis, the Security Council is unlikely to pass further sanctions and thus the United States has been unilaterally increasing sanctions against Tehran.
The IAEA accuses Teheran of continuing uranium enrichment
Le Monde, September 15, 2008
• The IAEA has now declared that "until Iran has “given proof of such transparency (in its nuclear program) () the IAEA will not be capable of assuring in a credible fashion that Iran does not posses non-declared nuclear materials and that it is not pursuing secret activities" in this domain.' The article continues to report that Iran has dismissed the IAEA's allegations as "fabricated" and "without foundation"
Iran provokes the West
Der Sueddeutsche Zeitung, September 15, 2008
• Because Iran has not cooperated with the IAEA, and is presumed still to be expanding its nuclear program, the German government will implement sanctions.
IAEA accuses Iran of lack of cooperation in nuclear dispute
Reuters Deutschland, September 15, 2008
• Despite IAEA warnings, Iran has persisted in not making its nuclear program transparent. Currently investigations are at a standstill, and though the UN Security Council has offered a deal to resolve the problem, some western countries, such as the United States, have already implemented stricter sanctions on Iran.
