U.S. overshadows G-20 summit with Iran nuclear hype

Siddharth Varadarajan -- The Hindu -- Lead Story

Iran’s decision to inform the International Atomic Energy Agency about a new pilot fuel enrichment plant it is building has been seized upon by the United States, and its allies as proof of the danger posed to the world by the Iranian nuclear programme.

Appearing before reporters an hour before the first plenary session of the G-20 group of leading world economies was set to begin here, U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister accused Tehran of defying the U.N. Security Council and directly challenging the international non-proliferation regime. They called upon Iran to provide the IAEA immediate access to the facility or face new international sanctions.

According to an IAEA spokesperson, Iran informed the agency about the facility on September 21.

Although U.S. officials say Iran had been forced to admit the existence of the new plant because it feared imminent exposure by Western intelligence agencies -- an unverifiable claim that has, nevertheless, been dutifully echoed by the American media – Tehran’s safeguards agreement with the IAEA only obliges it to provide design information not later than 180 days before the introduction of nuclear material into a new facility. Indeed, the Iranian government insists it informed the IAEA about the plant in line with its declared intention of being more transparent with the Agency.

The facility is said to be in the preliminary stage of development, with the introduction of uranium still several months away. Any international inspection of the facility could only come after that point, not before. That is why the IAEA never considered the Natanz facility whose existence was only revealed in 2002 a violation of Iran’s safeguards agreement.

In 2003, Iran agreed to a modified subsidiary arrangement requiring it to inform the IAEA as soon as a decision to construct a new facility was taken. But Tehran withdrew its adherence to the arrangement four years later, in retaliation against UN sanctions.

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:shrug:

Reaction seem pretty muted in most foreign press. Likely most G-20 leaders would agree with India that the Iran press conference was an unnecessary complication and distraction.

It's unclear why Obama stepped all over the conference he was hosting. Since Iran declared the plant earlier in the week, it could have waited until next week.

their way.

Yes, I don't know why President Obama, flanked by leaders of the UK and France made this proclamation but it, IMO, does not help bridge divides.

Guess you and I are not privy to all the underpinnings of power and posturing. :shrug:

was very inconvenient for the US and forced them to tip their diplomatic hand (which was, it turns out, the same one the Bush administration had)

This is a good article by the way, and The Hindu is a good newspaper. Thanks for posting it here.