Blair: West likely to seek sanctions against Iran

"I do not think there is any point in people, or us, hiding our deep dismay at what Iran has decided to do," Blair said. By Adrian Dennis, AFP/Getty Images http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-01-11-blair-iran_x.htm Posted 1/11/2006 7:33 AM Updated 1/11/2006 12:04 PM Blair: West likely to seek sanctions against Iran LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that Western countries were likely to seek economic sanctions against Iran after Tehran restarted its nuclear program but Iranian leaders said they would not curtail the research even in the face of sanctions. Iran on Tuesday broke U.N. seals at a uranium enrichment plant and said it was resuming nuclear research after a two-year freeze. Enriched uranium can be used as a fuel for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. "I think the first thing to do is to secure agreement for a reference to the Security Council, if that is indeed what the allies jointly decide, as I think seems likely," Blair told the House of Commons, adding that he was in close contact with Washington on the issue. "We obviously don't rule out any measures at all," Blair said when asked about possible sanctions. "It's important Iran recognizes how seriously the international community treats it." (Related: Ex-president: Sanctions won't alter nuclear program) In Moscow, the Foreign Ministry said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and both sides shared "a deep disappointment" over Iran's move. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday that if Iran continued on its present course, "there is no other choice but to refer the matter to the Security Council," which could impose sanctions. Hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed to press ahead with the country's nuclear program, dismissing the international outcry. "I tell those superpowers that, with strength and prudence, Iran will pave the way to achieving peaceful nuclear energy. The Iranian nation is not frightened by the powers and their noise," Ahmadinejad told a crowd during a visit to the port city of Bandar Abbas. His speech was broadcast live on state-run television. Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani said earlier on Wednesday he was "astonished" by the West's attempt to "bully" Iran. "If they cause any disturbance, they will ultimately regret it," he warned in a speech for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha broadcast live on state television. "Even if (the Westerners) destroy our scientists, their successors would continue the job," he said. "It would not be easy for them to solve the (nuclear) case by imposing sanctions or anything like that." Rafsanjani, who was president of Iran in the 1990s, lost to Ahmadinejad in the run-off elections last June. In the election, he ran as a moderate, compared with the ultraconservative Ahmadinejad. But the policy of pursuing the nuclear program has become a point of national pride for many Iranians, a rare issue that crosses the country's reformist-conservative divide. Rafsanjani currently serves as head of the Expediency Council, a powerful body that mediates between the elected parliament and Iran's unelected Islamic clerical leadership, which holds ultimate say in the country. Iran insists its research is for peaceful energy production only. But the United States suspects Tehran has ambitions to produce nuclear weapons. "In the near future, (nuclear) energy will be completely carried out by the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad said. He accused the West of using fears of nuclear weapons as an excuse to prevent Iran's technological development and to control the country by forcing it to buy nuclear fuel abroad. "They falsely say that they oppose nuclear weapons. They want to have nuclear monopoly to sell it drop by drop at an expensive price and use it as an instrument for domination over nations," he said. Rafsanjani also accused the West of trying to hold back Iran's development. "Keeping the Third World and the Islamic world several steps behind has been the West's traditional colonial policy," he said. Blair said Iran's decision to restart its nuclear program, coupled with Ahmadinejad's recent inflammatory comments about Israel, "cause real and serious alarm right across the world." Ahmadinejad recently called for Israel to be "wiped off the map" and said the Holocaust was a "myth." Blair recalled that the International Atomic Energy Agency had previously suggested Iran be referred to the Council over its nuclear program but the international nuclear watchdog agency later backed away because Iran agreed to halt its nuclear activities. "This is why it is extremely important therefore we take a fresh look at this now," Blair said. "The decision by Iran is very serious indeed," Blair told the House of Commons. "I do not think there is any point in people, or us, hiding our deep dismay at what Iran has decided to do." Iran said Tuesday that it had broken IAEA seals at its Natanz uranium enrichment plant and resumed research. While Iranian officials stressed the work would not involve enrichment, the IAEA said Iran planned to carry out small-scale enrichment. The West has long opposed uranium enrichment by Iran. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, who have spent two years trying to persuade Iran to halt its uranium conversion and enrichment activities, are scheduled to meet in Berlin on Thursday to consider what to do. Gernot Erler, a German deputy foreign minister, cautioned Wednesday against referring the dispute to the Security Council, saying it could further destabilize the Middle East. He said Iran must offer fresh guarantees on its nuclear program for talks with European negotiators to continue. In Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said Wednesday the world had entered a "new phase" in relations with Iran and would find the most effective ways to deal with it. "Iran's determination to continue its nuclear program outside existing agreements is a cause for constant, deep concern," Fini said in a statement. Free Mind’s Comments: Chen Youren was the most conscious and heroic diplomat in that he could understand England, his birth country, a powerful colonial country like the Britain’s point of view, yet to protect his motherland China’s interest. As the Nationalist government’s foreign minister, Chen Youren was the first man to undo the unequal treaties. He did it by non-violent measurements and in written agreement on the 1927 treaty to forsake the British’s colonial concession in Hua Zhong Middle China cities, Jiu Jiang and Han Kou by the Yangtze River to China which was forged after the 16 times of exchange and negotiations. Blair only made the fuss in the parliament to admonish Iran’s nuclear uranium enrichment program. Italy’s foreign minister can only admit “we enter into a new phase with Iran”, and one must adopt the most effective strategy and see what happens with Iranian ultraconservative president. The Iranian national sentiment sees the nuclear program as a matter of national pride, and a vehicle or means not to subject to the western powers. This nuclear project has the endorsement of the Iranian people, be it secular or religious. In fact, this is a national united issue which bonds together the elected Parliament and non-elected clerics.