(New York Times) Gary Milhollin - Under Tuesday's deal, Iran will shift into neutral, while keeping its nuclear potential intact. It won't - for the time being - operate its newly constructed centrifuges, which are needed to enrich uranium to weapon grade. But the deal won't stop Iran from building more centrifuges, thus adding to its future ability to enrich uranium. Nor does the agreement bar Iran from completing the factory that produces the uranium gas that goes into the centrifuges. Nor does it prevent the building of the heavy water reactor or, indeed, the resumption of enrichment in the future. Thus the agreement could insulate Iran from international censure without hampering its nuclear progress in any way. The only real solution is to convince Iran to dismantle all the plants that can make fuel for nuclear weapons. Otherwise, the current deal risks having the same outcome as the deal North Korea made in 1994 and later violated.
2003-10-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive