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The US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, speaks during the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) annual Policy Conference in Washington, Sunday. (AP)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners March 6, 2006 |
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The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday told an influential pro-Israel lobbying group of the urgent need to confront Iran's "clear and unrelenting drive" for a nuclear weapons program.
John Bolton, speaking before a crowd of 4,500 gathered for an American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, said that a failure by the U.N. Security Council to address Iran would "do lasting damage to the credibility of the council."
"The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses," Bolton said, "the harder and more intractable it will become to solve."
At issue is Iran's ability to enrich uranium to the point it could be used for a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and only meant to generate power. Many in the West, however, fear Iran is aiming to develop atomic weapons.
On Monday, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, will meet in Vienna, Austria, to discuss Iran's nuclear program and its compliance with an IAEA demand that it renounce uranium enrichment. The agency's board of governors may at that time send the file to the U.N. Security Council.
Iran warned Sunday it will start large-scale uranium enrichment if it is referred to the Security Council because of international concerns over its nuclear program.
Iran "must be made aware that if it continues down the path of international isolation, there will be tangible and painful consequences," Bolton said.
Iranian officials were in Moscow last week, negotiating an offer by Russia to enrich uranium for Iran to be used for energy, with the spent fuel being returned to Russia, easing fears that Iran could use it for weapons.
Bolton said Iran has been engaging in "doublespeak" during these negotiations. He said that with one voice they say they welcome discussion, but with the other they "are flatly refusing" to give up access to technology and material that would let them have the capability to develop nuclear weapons.
Bolton added, however, that the Russian proposal lets Iran "reap the benefits of civil nuclear power while addressing concerns that they are really pursuing nuclear weapons."
The United States, Bolton said, supports ongoing diplomatic efforts to solve the impasse. "But we must not ignore Tehran's refusal to address the concerns of the international community," he said.
Olmert: Israel can't counter Iran alone
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking by satellite Sunday from Jerusalem to the AIPAC conference, called Iran "a major threat to all the civilized world." He added that Israel couldn't curb the Iranian nuclear threat on its own; he asked for the international community's help in facing the Iran.
Olmert expressed his hope that the world, led by the United States, will impose sanctions on Iran, which he characterized as a threat to the modern world.
AP contributed to this report.
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