(MintPress)–Mourners lined the street of Tehran Friday, after Iranian nuclear-scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan was killed Wednesday. The 32-year old, who worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, and the driver of his car were killed by a magnetic car bomb, and his wife was injured. The incident marks the third time in recent years in which a scientist involved in such work has been targeted in Iran. Iran has charged that the murder was orchestrated by the US and Israel, which accuse Iran of secretly developing a nuclear weapons program under the guise of its civilian atomic energy program.
In a letter written to the UN Wednesday, published on Iran’s MehrNews website UN ambassador Mohammed Khazee asks,
“Now, the question remains whether resorting to all unlawful and coercive measures, even terrorist acts, to prevent developing nations from exercising their right to development, including peaceful use of nuclear energy are permissible?”
Although the U.N. and other bodies have threatened sanctions, Iran has continued with its uranium enrichment work, while some in the West express concern. Iran has stated it is not developing weapons, and that its nuclear program does not aim to produce reactor fuel or material for nuclear warheads.
Khazee in his letter answers these concerns, and describes the “peaceful nature of Iranian nuclear activities,” while pointing out that “the Islamic Republic of Iran would not compromise over its inalienable right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and any kind of political and economic pressures or terrorist attacks targeting the Iranian nuclear scientists, could not prevent our nation in exercising this right.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the claims “provocative rhetoric” at a press conference this Wednesday, saying “It has caused us and many of our partners in the region and around the world to reach out to the Iranians to impress upon them the provocative and dangerous nature of the threats to close the Straits of Hormuz”. Iran has threatened to cut off supply to the West’s access to Gulf oil if its exports are hit by sanctions. In response, the U.S. has warned its navy that it’s ready to open fire in order to prevent any blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. About 40 percent of the world’s seaborne traded oil passes through the strait.
Clinton responded to charges of U.S. involvement in the bombing saying “I want to categorically deny any US involvement in any kind of act of violence inside Iran. We believe that there has to be an understanding between Iran, its neighbors and the international community that finds a way forward for it to end its provocative behavior.” Clinton also has called Iran’s decision to enrich uranium “especially troubling”, adding, “There is no plausible justification for this production. Such enrichment brings Iran a significant step closer to having the capability to produce weapons-grade highly enriched uranium.”
However, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in an appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday said Iran is not pursuing the ability to split atoms with weapons, but is instead pursuing “a nuclear capability.”
Middle East expert Juan Cole points out on his blog, “…in order to build a bomb, Iran would have to deny access to UN inspectors and, well, initiate a program to build a bomb. That it has not done so is covered up in mainstream U.S. political and journalistic discourse, to the point where the NYT had to apologize for stating (contrary to Panetta) that Iran has a nuclear weapons program (it does not, as far as anyone can tell).”
Cole also notes that both Israel and the US have an abundant supply of nuclear weapons, and Iran does not even have a nuclear weapons program. Moreover, Iran has stated that at its Fordow site, (which is a perfectly legal site, and one which is subject to inspection) it plans to try to enrich to 19.75% – a low level of enriched uranium, and the level needed for fuel for Iran’s medical reactor, which produces isotopes for treating cancer.
In addition to sanctions already in place by the U.S. on Iran, the European Union is considering a ban on imports of Iranian crude oil. The EU announced its intent to delay a decision to impose an oil embargo on Iran by six months. Diplomats for the EU said the measure will likely be taken in an effort to afford time to countries that are heavily dependent on Iranian oil imports to find alternative sources. The sanctions are being put in place as a reaction to assertions that Iran’s nuclear program is designed to produce weapons.
“I think blockading a civilian population for the purpose of instituting regime change in a state toward which no authorization of force has been issued by the UN Security Council may well be a war crime. Even advocating a war crime can under some circumstances be punishable, as happened at the Nuremberg trials,” Cole wrote.
Diplomats are now working on finalizing a sanctions package which they will have ready by the end of next week.
Source: Mint Press