Containing Iran

The European plan to contain Saddam was to request him not to do anything bad. Now they are trying the same with Iran. The Europeans met with the mullahs and agreed to block any Security Council referrals and in return Iran would stop work on Uranium enrichment. But now
bq. This week, with the world’s attention focused on the troubled situation in Iraq, the European version of preemption is yielding its own bitter — if less bloody — result. Inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency have reported that Iran never honored its agreement; it has stalled and stonewalled the inspectors while continuing to work on elements of a nuclear program that could soon allow it to produce weapons. The Europeans have responded by drafting for approval by the 35-member IAEA board a stern statement demanding Iranian cooperation; Tehran has replied with threats to restart uranium enrichment and suspend negotiations with the West. [“Washington Post”:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50913-2004Jun17.html]