The Wall Street Journal reported that President Joe Biden’s administration has applied pressure on Britain and France to back off of Iran over advancing its nuclear program.
The U.S. is arguing against an effort by Britain and France to censure Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s member-state board in early June, the diplomats said. The U.S. has pressed a number of other countries to abstain in a censure vote, saying that is what Washington will do, they said.U.S. officials deny lobbying against a resolution.The differences are emerging as Western officials’ concerns have deepened about Iran’s nuclear activities.
The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) discovered that “Iran has 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% — an increase of 20.6 kilograms (45.4 pounds)” as of May 11 since the last report in February.
Iran has uranium enriched up to 60%. The regime needs 90% to reach weapons-grade level.
The Biden administration thinks Iran could become more volatile as it heads toward an election for a new president.
Britain and France think delaying any “action would undermine the authority of the IAEA, which polices nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.”
The European leaders also think a delay would weaken “the credibility of Western pressure on Iran.”
Biden’s administration still thinks diplomacy is the way to go, which has left Britain and France frustrated.
Officials deny any pressure:
A U.S. official said Washington is “tightly coordinated” with its European partners ahead of the IAEA board meeting next month: “Any speculation about decisions is premature.”“We are increasing pressure on Iran through sanctions and international isolation,” the official added, citing measures taken by the Group of Seven advanced democracies after an Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel last month.A second U.S. official said it was “totally false” that Washington is aiming to avoid disruption with Iran before the U.S. elections.
Washington’s strategy includes asking the IAEA for a report detailing “everything it knows about Iran’s failure to cooperate.”
Well, European officials claim those in Washington told them it might ask the IAEA to provide the report after the November election.
Weird, right? The report could provide evidence to place the international sanctions lifted by the nuclear deal back on Iran.
That could potentially show that the Iranian nuclear deal failed. The diplomats would look stupid. I mean, did they expect Iran to follow orders?
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