THE POLITICS OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is guilty of a series of fallacies and misrepresentations concerning the Iranian nuclear program. That's the message from the Center for Strategic Research, a government-connected think tank headed by Hasan Rowhani, Iran's former chief nuclear negotiator. The demarche, which accuses Ahmadinejad of using the nuclear program for political ends and of distorting his own role in the country's nuclear progress, has distinct political overtones; the Center for Strategic Research was founded by former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, one of Ahmadinejad's most prominent challengers for the presidency in Iran's upcoming June 12th election. (Associated Press, May 30, 2009)
IRAN IN IRAQ: PLUS CA CHANGE
Iran is continuing its destabilizing influence in Iraq, America's top military official in the Middle East has warned. In an interview with a leading Saudi newspaper, General David Petraeus, commander of United States Central Command, has said that Iran's interference on the territory of the former Ba'athist state remains a source of serious concern to the Iraqi government and other regional neighbors. Iran's involvement, Petraeus says, is visible through the discovery of weapons caches “with signature items that come only from Iran.” And while Iranian activity in Iraq has dropped off in recent months, "periodic" incidents involving Iranian-manufactured arms demonstrates that “it still does go on.” (London Al Hayat, June 1, 2009)
NEGOTIATING, WITH EYES OPEN
As the Obama administration embarks upon its "engagement" strategy toward the Islamic Republic, a new Congressional study has highlighted the likely parameters of any potential dialogue that could emerge between Washington and Tehran. "There is no sign that Iran’s leaders have ordered up a bomb," the report, compiled by the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says. "But unclassified interviews conducted by a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff make clear that Iran has moved closer to completing the three components for a nuclear weapon—fissile material, warhead design and delivery system." What that means, the study notes, is that Iran now has "the technological and industrial capacity to eventually develop an atomic bomb," and "only a political decision by the country’s leaders is likely to prevent Iran from someday producing a nuclear weapon."
So what should the Obama administration do? "At a minimum," the report suggests, "one goal of the administration’s strategy on Iran should be to provide the right balance of pressure and opportunity to persuade the regime to agree not to take any further steps toward enhancing its capability to build a bomb and to accept strict verification standards." (Senate Foreign Relations Committee, May 4, 2009)
DEFIANT IN TEHRAN
Iran is digging in its heels over new Congressional action to target its dependency on foreign refined petroleum. "They are (threatening) us with sanctions on gasoline imports while... we presently have the capability to meet the country's gasoline needs within 48 hours," Iranian oil minister Gholamhossein Nozari has told industry experts in Tehran. According to Nozari, seven of Iran's refineries have the ability to dramatically expand their production, while the rationing plan implemented by the regime over the past two years has significantly decreased the amount of gasoline the Islamic Republic is forced to purchase from abroad. (Reuters, May 18, 2009)
[Editor's Note: In recent weeks, Congress has made serious efforts to target Iran’s ability to acquire gasoline from abroad. The Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act was introduced on April 28th in the Senate by Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and on April 30th in the House by Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA-28) and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-18). The Iran Diplomatic Enhancement Act, sponsored by Congressmen Mark Kirk (R-IL-10) and 31 other members, was also introduced in the House in late April.]