Nations fail to agree on Iran

[ianwood]

By Francois Murphy

PARIS (Reuters) - Diplomats from six world powers failed on Tuesday to agree on a draft resolution for a sanctions plan on Iran for its nuclear programme, but major European nations said they wanted such a pact by the year's end.

"We made substantive progress on the scope of the sanctions, targeting proliferation-sensitive activities. There remain several outstanding issues, on which we will reflect over the coming days," France's foreign ministry said in a statement.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-05T224523Z_01_L04368686_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAN-NUCLEAR.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsLanding-C4-World-2

[AlamoDemoc]

1. What is there to agree? Iran possesses no nuclear bombs, and is cooperation with the IAEA

"The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has not found conclusive evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6167304.stm

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'France's President Jacques Chirac appears to have eased the world's political pressure on Iran over its suspect nuclear programme.'

In a radio interview before departing for the UN General Assembly session in New York, Mr Chirac said: "I am never in favour of sanctions."....He called Iran "a great nation"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5357532.stm

[Ms. Clio]

2. Looks like any sanctions will be "symbolic"

more from the article:

Russia has refused to agree to tough sanctions to punish Tehran's refusal to meet an August 31 U.N. deadline to freeze uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel for nuclear power plants or atom bombs.

"We believe it is irresponsible to impose these kind of sanctions," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

EU diplomats say the sanctions called for in the text will be largely symbolic but that unanimous approval of even mild sanctions will send a strong signal to Tehran that the world is determined to stop Iran obtaining nuclear arms."

[Tempest]

3. iPods, plasma televisions and Segway electric scooters

All the things an Iranian can't live without.

:sarcasm: