The Hindu : Teheran emerges unscathed from crises

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 21, 2003

International

International

Teheran emerges unscathed from crises

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA June 20. Under intense internal pressure from protesting students and facing a sustained U.S. campaign questioning its nuclear intent, Iran by Friday had managed to emerge unscathed. Protests around the Teheran university campus and the eastern Pars district— the two focal points of street demonstrations — were by Thursday night, fizzling out. There were also no reports of any widespread unrest in other Iranian cities where protestors and the Iranian anti-riot police had clashed earlier in the week. Large-scale arrests have taken place to break up the protests. Vigilante groups loyal to the Iran's hardline supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, have also played a major role in countering these demonstrations.

Iran by Thursday had also successfully warded off the U.S. attempt to encourage a statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that could have opened the door for intense political pressure on it. The U.S. was reportedly keen that the IAEA governors' board debating Iran's nuclear programmes earlier this week, issue a statement suggesting that Teheran was not complying with the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that it had signed. Any statement of NPT "non-compliance" by Iran, would have forced the IAEA to report the matter directly to the U.N. Security Council. On receiving that report, the U.S., as a key Security Council member, would then have had the opportunity for forcing a council debate on imposing sanctions against Teheran. The U.S. suspects that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons in facilities that have not been the focus of the IAEA inspections in the past.

Washington is reportedly concerned about Iranian activities at the Natanz plant, where it suspects facilities to manufacture weapon grade enriched uranium are available.

The Kalaye Electric Company in Iran is also under suspicion. The IAEA, however, did ask Iran to sign an additional protocol to the NPT that would allow surprise inspections of its nuclear facilities. Keeping room for future negotiations, Iran has not opposed signing that protocol.

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