[IslamCity] Rice Presses U.N. to Confront Defiant Iran - (Iraq Part 2 in the Making)

[Alan Border]

  “And those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them, (are not cowed but) help and defend themselves.”  (Al-Qur'an, 42:39 Ash-Shura [Council, Consultation])  Rice Presses U.N. to Confront Defiant Iran     By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer      http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060112/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iran_10;_ylt=AugNpSAoFIYELmaXhF7mLhFSw60A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl     WASHINGTON - Secretary of State     Condoleezza Rice, coordinating with European allies, called on the     United Nations Thursday to confront     Iran's "defiance" and demand that Tehran halt its nuclear program. Rice, at a news conference, declined to say whether the United States has the necessary votes at the     U.N. Security Council to punish Iran
 — or would even try at this stage.     But she said impatience with Iran was growing and that Tehran was out of step with advances in democracy in the region. And she repeated that she believes there are enough votes for the     International Atomic Energy Agency, the
 U.N. agency that monitors nuclear activity, to refer the issue to the Security Council. "I don't think it serves anybody's purpose to have a nuclear-armed Iran," Rice said. Rejecting Iran's claims that its nuclear program was not designed to produce weapons, Rice said, "I don't think anybody believes Iran's protestations that this is a peaceful program."     Pending coordination with the European allies, Rice did not spell out specific measures against Iran that the Bush administration might endorse or propose. But she said she was "gravely concerned" about Iran's secret operations and "its dangerous defiance of the entire international community." "We have to look hard at how a strong message is sent," Rice said. 
    Earlier, Britain, France and Germany agreed the dispute should be referred to the Security Council by the International Atomic Energy Agency. But it has remained unclear whether
 China or Russia might use their veto powers to thwart Security Council action, or whether there are enough votes at the council for it to impose sanctions of some sort.     "We are not yet ready to talk about specific measures" to take against Iran, Rice said. She said she hoped Tehran would take note of the unity around the world and act on the program. Rice cited Russia's unhappiness with Iran as an example. "It is very clear that everyone believes a very important threshold has been cleared," she said.       At a minimum, the Bush administration wants Iran to resume negotiations with the     European Union. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns will go to London next week to coordinate strategy with the allies
 and Undersecretary of State Robert Joseph will travel to Vienna, the headquarters of the U.N. monitoring agency, Rice said. Chinese and Russian diplomats are also expected to attend as well, said a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to make a formal announcement.     The European Union, meanwhile, will send its seniort diplomat, Javier Solana, to
 Washington for consultations. The Security Council could try to punish Iran with economic or political sanctions on the grounds it is proceeding secretly to develop nuclear weapons. However, that move could be blocked by a veto, a power that China and Russia share with the
 United States, Britain and France.     Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has vowed to press ahead with a nuclear program that Iran says is designed to produce civilian energy. "This is really an Iranian regime that is digging into isolation," Rice said. "The Iranian people frankly deserve better."     AB  [EMAIL PROTECTED]  "For to us will be their return; then it will be for us to call them to account." (Holy Quran 88:25-26)
	
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} 
(Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." 
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
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