Shunpiking Online Vo.3 No.9 Double standards: Security Council approves sanctions on Iran

(24 December 2006) - THE UN Security Council approved unanimously on Saturday (23 Dec) to implement sanctions on Iran, faced with its alleged refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

The UN executive authority ordered technological and financial sanctions against Tehran that will be implemented if it does not suspend its uranium-enrichment plans.

Tehran has now a 60-day period to respond to the UN demand, which was clearly influenced by the US anti-Iranian policy. Both American and Israeli ruling circles are creating public opinion for the use of pre-emptive strikes against Iran.

The resolution, sponsored by Great Britain and France, as permanent members of the Council, and Germany, would impose financial sanctions against Iran in reprisal for producing enriched uranium for nuclear power plants, and a ban on trade of sensitive-nuclear-material and Iranian ballistic missiles.

The resolution is an instrument of nuclear blackmail. Indicating the double standards and hypocrisy of this nuclear monopoly, who have been expanding and modernizing their own arsenal - as reported on this website (see Scottish political crisis deepens over Trident nuclear weapons) - is the fact that their resolution is silent about the nuclear arsenal of the State of Israel in the Middle East, estimated in 1986 by Israeli whistle blower Mordechai Vanunu to exceed over two hundred nuclear warheads.

Israel is not merely contemplating developing nuclear weapons but has developed and holds hundreds of nuclear weapons, for decades, and refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Israeli nuclear armament poses a threat of the security of the Middle East while Iran has no nuclear armaments and has continuously pledged that it is developing nuclear energy for such peaceful purposes as energy. Israel's so-called citizen army is a permanent standing army with the most advanced weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear and chemical-bacteriological weapons, supplied mainly by the United States and Britain. Cabinet Minister Jacob Edery recently admitted that Israel used chemical, phosphorus and cluster bombs against Lebanon this summer. An Italian state television documentary programme, RAI News 24, has also accused Israel of using dense inert metal missiles, which are highly carcinogenic, against the Palestinians in Gaza in July and August. The State of Israel has refused to accede to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and has consistently refused to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 484 (1981) and the resolution of the UN General Assembly and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling upon it to subject all of its nuclear installations to IAI safeguards.

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently told the Senate armed forces committee that Israel possessed nuclear arms.

Canada's "selective concern"

Canada is also participating in the political manipulation of the nuclear issue by the big powers. Canada provides facilities for the U.S. nuclear fleet in its ports and the testing of biological weapons and, since the Manhattan Project and the barbaric destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, has been a key supplier of uranium for the U.S. atomic weapons program. (See Mock disaster aboard visiting US nuclear submarine)

In an open letter to the Canadian government, reprinted on this website, Dr Ismail Zayid, president of the Canada Palestine Association, denounced the Harper government's "selective concern for Security Council resolutions."

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, who just returned from talks in Washington with US Secretary of State Rice, is reported to have abjectly declared that "Canada fully supports the resolution adopted today.....Iran's non-compliance with its international obligations will not be tolerated."

Israel's Dimona nuclear reactor

Dr Zayid commented: "This concern for compliance with international law and Security Council resolutions is impressive. But, pray, why is our governments concern is so selective? Israel stands today in defiance of scores of Security Council resolutions, related to illegal occupation and illegal annexation of Palestinian and Syrian territory, violation of human rights, creation of illegal settlements and other issues.

"Yet, we hear nothing," Dr Zayid added, "but support from our government's leaders for the policies and practices of the state of Israel. Why is there no demand for Israeli compliance with international law and Security Council resolutions? Furthermore, as to nuclear weapons, Israel is not merely contemplating developing nuclear weapons but has developed and holds hundreds of nuclear weapons, for decades, and refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, that is internationally proclaimed. Yet, on this issue, we hear only a deafening silence from our government, as well as US and other allies."

Iran to cooperate if no sanctions

Iran said on Saturday its cooperation with the UN on the atomic issue depended on whether or not there are sanctions by the Security Council.

As the first reaction to a review in New York of a project of punitive sanctions on Tehran, Deputy Alaeddin Borujerdi said cooperation with the UN Atomic Agency "should be revised."

Iran has adhered to the Non Proliferation Treaty, the president of the Parliamentary Security Committee told the Mehr news agency.

The Islamic Republic is conflicting with the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, who have threatened its right to development of atomic energy with peaceful objectives.

Washington, London, and Berlin have proposed adoption of worse sanctions, but Russia and China, which have the right to veto at the Security Council, opposed those sanctions.

Non-aligned nations demanded dialogue over Iran nuclear issue

The Non-Aligned Movement demanded Friday that the UN Security Council practice a policy of peaceful diplomacy and dialogue to find a lasting solution to the issue of Iran's development of nuclear energy, reported Prensa Latina.

Cuba's ambassador to the UN Rodrigo Malmierca presented the Non-Aligned Movement position on the issue. Since September 2006, Cuba holds the presidency of the organization for a three-year period.

The statement of the 118-member organization reaffirms "the fundamental and inalienable right" of all states to conduct research, produce and use atomic energy for peaceful ends, without discrimination and in compliance with their legal obligations.