Diplomacy, Not Sanctions, Key to Iranian Nuclear Situation

Today, experts at the Center for Arms Control and
Non-Proliferation responded to the passage on June 9 of a fourth round
of sanctions against Iran by the United Nations Security Council.

The Center applauds the Security Council for
constructing a resolution with targeted sanctions that isolate the
specific entities and individuals that have not fully cooperated with
the International Atomic Energy Agency and obstructed compliance with
safeguard protocols and open inspections as dictated by the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, the Center reaffirms that sanctions
are merely a tool. They alone will not compel Iran to halt its
enrichment program.

The Center's Director of Nuclear Non-Proliferation,
Kingston Reif, emphasized that, "Iran is many years away from
possessing enough HEU for a meaningful nuclear arsenal, assuming of
course that it actually does decide to produce weapons grade uranium,
which it has not yet done."

The Obama administration's policy of engagement and
multilateralism has isolated Iran and strengthened the U.S. ability to
secure international support to put additional pressure on Iran.

"Diplomatic engagement should underscore
the need for Iran to agree to stronger IAEA involvement and acceptance
of the Additional Protocol,"
said Mary Slosson, Scoville Fellow at the Center, "which
ensure greater IAEA oversight and flexibility in nuclear inspections." While Iran has the right to
peaceful use of nuclear energy, it must fulfill its commitments under
the NPT, which means full cooperation with the IAEA and a commitment to
non-proliferation.

Iran, the United States, the members of the UN
Security Council and a large majority of the international community
just spent a month of dedicated diplomacy at the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Through their month-long
diplomatic effort, they reached consensus and agreed to the same action
plan on disarmament and non-proliferation for the next five years.
Diplomacy can and does work.

Laicie Olson, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center,
said that, "hopefully this will clear the path for the Obama
administration to further negotiate with Iran while encouraging Iran to
cooperate in confidence-building measures."

The Center reaffirms that military strikes, either
by Israel or the U.S., would be disastrous. In addition to merely
delaying any enrichment program, such a strike would only further
polarize an already delicate situation in the Middle East and Central
Asia.