Security Council hesitates on Iran
U.S. says it may use other means to deal with nation Los Angeles Times UNITED NATIONS - With increasing signs that several fellow Security Council members may stall a U.S. push to sanction Iran for its nuclear enrichment program, administration officials indicated Friday that they are prepared to form an independent coalition to freeze Iranian assets and restrict trade. The strategy, analysts say, reflects not only long-standing U.S. frustration with the Security Council's inaction on Iran, but also the current weakness of Washington's position because of its controversial role in a series of conflicts in the Middle East, most recently in Lebanon. Despite assurances from Russia and China in July that they would support initial sanctions against Iran if it failed to suspend aspects of its nuclear program, Russia seemed to backtrack this week after Tehran agreed to continue talks, but refused to halt enrichment. A Security Council resolution gives the Islamic republic until Aug. 31 to stop uranium enrichment or face penalties. U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton said in case Russia and China drag their heels, the United States is working a parallel diplomatic track outside the United Nations. Washington could ramp up its sanctions, including intercepting missile and nuclear materials en route to Iran, and imposing financial constraints under existing terrorism laws, and is encouraging other countries to follow suit, Bolton said. "You don't need Security Council authority to impose sanctions, just as we have," he said in an interview. _____ HoustonChronicle.com -- <http://www.chron.com/> http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: World <http://www.chron.com/world> This article <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4142269.html> is: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4142269.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
