The United States is cruising along a course to impose stricter sanctions on Iran but presently will be satisfied with the fourth set of sanctions that are not so biting.

According to Paul Richter of Los Angeles Times reporting from Washington , the Obama administration signalled Wednesday 14 April, that the United States would accept weakened United Nations sanctions against Iran as a way to quickly assemble a broad international coalition against Tehran ‘s nuclear program.

The same report quotes Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates as saying, ‘a Security Council resolution “provides a new legal platform” for individual nations or groups, such as the European Union, to take more stringent action. In that way, the U.N. resolution acts as a “launching pad” for economic strictures that are much tougher than those adopted by the world organization.’

The US is leading, in its own right, a world movement for economic sanctions against Iran allegedly pursuing a clandestine Nuclear programme directed towards making a nuclear bomb. Iran has all along been claiming that its nuclear programme is peaceful and is directed towards meeting country’s energy, medical and scientific needs. America and its close allies are not ready to believe.

Since 1979 Islamic revolution of Iran and especially taking hostage of American Embassy staff in Tehran in the early days of the revolution, relations between two countries have remained at the lowest edge. Mutual suspicion is difficult to overcome.

Since 2006 the US is pursuing a definite course that is hurting Iran ’s economy to certain extent although adamant Iranian leadership claims that the UNSC sanctions have failed to get the desired results.

The US Set the Stage for Sanctions when on 31 July, 2006 in resolution 1696 (2006) the UNSC under US manipulation ‘demanded that Iran suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, and gave it one month to do so or face the possibility of economic and diplomatic sanctions to give effect to its decision.’

First Set of Sanctions followed. On 23rd December, 2006 the UNSC adopted resolution 1737 (2006) in which it ‘imposed sanctions on Iran, blocking the import or export of sensitive nuclear materiel and equipment and freezing the financial assets of persons or entities supporting its proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or the development of nuclear-weapon delivery systems.’

At that time Qatar did not approve of the resolution. Its ‘representative said he had not approved of proceeding with the vote when his region was “inflamed”. Proceeding to action at the present critical time neither served regional security nor Council unity.

There was no harm in waiting for a few days to exhaust all possible means to identify Iran’s real intentions and the degree of its readiness to cooperate, especially since it had not rejected the package presented to it (by the six countries); it had only asked for some time to reply.

The Council had certainly waited longer to act on questions of greater urgency. Qatar was totally committed to ensuring nuclear non-proliferation and ridding the Middle East of those weapons, but failure to take into account the above mentioned concerns, as well as the prevailing conditions in his region, was not helpful, he said.’

The US did not remain content with the first round of sanctions and on 24 March 2007 in resolution 1747 (2007) of the UNSC, it had the second round of sanctions against Iran and called ‘upon all States to exercise vigilance and restraint in the supply, sale or transfer directly or indirectly from their territories or by their nationals or using their flag vessels or aircraft of any battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems as defined for the purpose of 
the United Nations Register on Conventional Arms to Iran , and in the provision to Iran of any technical assistance or training, financial assistance, investment, brokering or other services, and the transfer of financial resources or services, related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture or use of such items in order to prevent a destabilizing accumulation of arms.’

Third Set of Sanctions came in early 2008 when on 3 March, 2008 in resolution 1806 (2008) the UNSC, under a lot of mongering and bickering on part of the US, slapped third round of sanctions against Iran. In the resolution ‘states were called upon to inspect cargo to and from Iran of aircraft and vessels owned or operated by Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, provided  “reasonable grounds” existed to believe that the aircraft or vessel was transporting prohibited goods.’ The US does not mind criticism on its policies in the Gulf as long as it is able to hurt Iran .

The US obsession to Iran is consistent with its earlier behaviour patterns with countries it has considered its enemies. The US contraption of death and destruction will not stop until it has completely neutralised its target. Only time will tell it can keep up its unblemished record in case of Iran .

Sanctions on Iran have not gone without their share of criticism. In 2005 a report regarding the effects of sanctions on Iran was presented at the 36th session of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The report stated that the U.S. sanctions had endangered the safety of civil aviation in Iran because it prevented Iran from acquiring parts and support essential for aviation safety.

The report also stated that the sanctions were contrary to the Chicago convention (to which the US is a member). The ICAO report said aviation safety affects human lives and human rights, stands above political differences, and that the assembly should bring international public pressure on the United States to lift the sanctions against Iran.

‘According to reports from Iranian news agencies, 17 planes have crashed over the past 25 years, killing approximately 1,500 people.’ Unscrupulous agents of death in America lose all sense of appropriation and humanity when they deal with Iran . It is being punished for the crime it has not committed yet and has expressly declared its intentions as well for not committing it.

Information

Since 1979 Islamic revolution   of Iran and especially taking hostage of American Embassy staff in Tehran in the early days of the revolution, relations between two countries have remained at the lowest edge. Mutual suspicion is difficult to overcome.

 First appeared in Pakistan Observer on 19 April, 2010.



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