‘COMPLY or face the consequences,’ was the message delivered by President Obama and his puppets Brown and Sarkozy to the Iranian government yesterday morning.
Iran had revealed the existence of a second uranium enrichment plant to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) on Monday, saying it was not yet operational and would only be used for nuclear energy.
Iranian officials notified the UN of the plant’s existence in a letter and denied the plant was a secret.
Ali Akbar Saleri, the head of Iran’s nuclear agency, said yesterday: ‘This installation is not a secret one, which is why we announced its existence to the IAEA.
‘When I took over the job in July I committed myself to accelerate co-operation, and within the existing framework of regulations of our cooperation with the IAEA we announced the existence of this installation to the agency.’
However, speaking in Pittsburgh where he is hosting the G20 summit, US President Obama, followed by French President Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Brown lined up to issue threats against Iran.
Obama claimed: ‘Iran’s decision to build yet another nuclear facility without notifying the IAEA represents a direct challenge to the basic compact at the centre of the non-proliferation regime.’
He claimed: ‘Iran is breaking rules that all nations must follow – endangering the global non-proliferation regime, denying its own people access to the opportunity they deserve, and threatening the stability and security of the region and the world.’
He went on to warn that ‘international law is not an empty promise,’ adding that ‘obligations must be kept’ and ‘treaties will be enforced’.
‘And that’s why there’s a sense of urgency about the upcoming meeting on 1 October between Iran, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and Germany.
‘At that meeting, Iran must be prepared to co-operate fully and comprehensively with the IAEA to take concrete steps to create confidence and transparency in its nuclear programme and to demonstrate that it is committed to establishing its peaceful intentions through meaningful dialogue and concrete actions.’
Obama concluded with the threat that ‘the Iranian government must now demonstrate through deeds its peaceful intentions or be held accountable to international standards and international law’.
Next came French President Sarkozy, who warned: ‘We were already in a very severe confidence crisis. We are now faced with a challenge, a challenge made to the entire international community.
‘The six will meet the Iranian representatives in Geneva. Everything – everything must be put on the table now.
‘We cannot let the Iranian leaders gain time while the motors are running.
‘If by December there is not an in-depth change by the Iranian leaders, sanctions will have to be taken.’
The UK Prime Minister Brown was the most belicose of the three, claiming: ‘Confronted by the serial deception of many years, the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand.
‘On 1 October, Iran must now engage with the international community and join the international community as a partner.
‘If it does not do so, it will be further isolated. . .
‘And we are prepared to implement further and more stringent sanctions.’