Free_Iran_Now

By NICK WADHAMS, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, March 9, 2006

(03-09) 15:47 PST UNITED NATIONS, (AP) --
The U.N. Security Council must deliver a strong statement that "gets the Iranians' attention" when it addresses Tehran's disputed nuclear weapons program for the first time in the coming days, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Thursday.
Bolton and other senior U.S. officials suggested that if the Security Council doesn't take tough action, the United States might look elsewhere to punish Iran — possibly by rallying its allies to impose targeted sanctions.
"We're going to press for as vigorous a response in the council as we can get and hope that that gets the Iranians' attention," Bolton told reporters. "If the Iranians do not back off from their continued aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons, we'll have to make a decision of what the next step will be."
Bolton spoke as the United States and the other four permanent members of the council weighed proposals for an initial response to the Iran nuclear crisis. The council's first step will likely be a nonbinding presidential statement, but the contents of even that are highly disputed.
Officials in Washington have raised the possibility of a Security Council resolution backed by the threat of military force that would demand Iran abandon uranium enrichment and answer outstanding questions about its nuclear program. The United States also wants the statement to include some condemnation of Iran.
At a Senate hearing on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested that the international community could impose visa restrictions and an asset freeze. She said that investors may take "a second look at whether investments in Iran are really a good idea under the circumstances."
Britain, also a proponent of tough action, has proposed asking International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed Elbaradei to report back in two weeks on Iran's compliance with IAEA resolutions.
Yet Russia and China are opposed to sanctions and would almost certainly block any effort for the council to impose such measures. Underscoring Russia's reluctance to condemn Iran, Ambassador Andrey Denisov said even the British proposal for Elbaradei to come back in two weeks with a new report on Iran's compliance didn't give Tehran enough time.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in London that the international community is united in its view of Iran's nuclear activities.
"Obligations that are entered into in the international community should be kept and if they aren't that's a serious situation and that's the reason for this discussion at the moment and the report to the Security Council," Blair said.
The five permanent members of the council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — planned to met again Friday to keep talking about a presidential statement. The full council will likely discuss Iran next week — possibly Monday or Tuesday.
The deliberations were early signs of growing international efforts to persuade Iran to give up uranium enrichment and clear up questions about its nuclear energy program. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, while the United States contends that Tehran is working toward a nuclear weapon.
On Wednesday, the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors wrapped up a meeting in Vienna and sent a Feb. 27 report on Iran's activities to the council. That action formally cleared the way for the Security Council to take up the Iran issue.
Some nations, particularly China and Russia, fear that tough council action will lead Iran to abandon the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty for good and expel IAEA inspectors.
On Thursday, Iran's leaders warned that the West will suffer more than Iran if it takes action against its nuclear program, rejecting Iran's referral to the U.N. Security Council as unjust.