Iran fails West's tests

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) spent two days trying to gain access to the military facility in Parchin. But the regime in Tehran did not budge. It refused to allow the inspectors to look at the site, to read key documents or to talk with scientists involved in the Iranian nuclear program.

Then the empty-handed inspectors departed and announced that the talks were held in a more pleasant and trustworthy atmosphere. There could hardly be a more cynical end to a failed mission. The second unsuccessful attempt to visit the site in a matter of weeks does not bode well for the coming weeks and months - especially when the events are taken in context.

Ahead of parliamentary elections in March, the Tehran regime has obviously taken a firm course. Last weekend the Iranian Oil Ministry announced an immediate stop in deliveries of Iranian oil to France and Britain. Both countries had worked particularly hard to put an EU embargo on Iranian oil as of July 1. At the same time, the Iranian Navy sent two ships to the Mediterranean Sea to participate in maneuvers with Syria. While it was militarily meaningless, taking light of the situation in Syria, it is clear to see the move was a targeted provocation.

Europeans and Americans have made noticeable progress in their efforts to block Iranian exports. The SWIFT banking message network, which provides the telecommunications system used for a large number of financial transactions, is reportedly preparing to refuse access to Iranian banks. Such a step would make it considerably more difficult to do business even with those nations, including China and Russia, that have not imposed sanctions on Iran.

Yet, both sides had made efforts to pave the way for a new set of negotiations. In the past few weeks the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili replied to an October letter from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and signaled Iran's willingness to begin talks on his country's nuclear program - without reservations, according to diplomats.

In the letter she wrote in October, Ashton formally recognized Iran's right to civilian use of nuclear power, which helped create a positive mood. But Iran has to back up its words with actions. Leaders in Tehran have to recognize that responsibilities come with rights.

The broken agreements and smokescreens of the past force the international community to put to the test the Iranian promise that its nuclear program is only intended for civilian purposes. That's exactly the job that was given to the energy agency's inspectors on their latest trip to Iran.

But instead of taking steps toward an atmosphere of trust, Iran has shown itself to be uncooperative and stubborn. That has left countries like Germany, which is pushing for negotiations to restart, with the impression that the Iranians are simply playing for time - time that will protect Iranian nuclear facilities from an Israeli attack and time that Tehran can use for the unhindered development of nuclear weapons.

The five veto-wielding nations of the United Nations Security Council and Germany are still consulting over whether to accept the Iranian offer to begin new negotiations. The IAEA inspectors' trip was a test of Iran's willingness to concede to additional control mechanisms of the international community - mechanisms to judge the legitimate concerns about the country's nuclear program. For the second time the test has come up negative.

This is all grist to the mill for the Israeli government, which clearly assumes that Iran's nuclear weapon development can only be stopped by military means. Next week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Washington. For the American president it will be harder to exhort Israel to restrain itself.

Author: Daniel Scheschkewitz / sms
Editor: Sabina Casagrande