Bolton: U.N. Must Now Focus on Sanctions
NewsMax.com Wires
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006


UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council must begin drawing up sanctions against Iran now that Tehran has disregarded a deadline to suspend uranium enrichment, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said Thursday.

Bolton said Security Council unanimity was not needed before taking action against Iran over its nuclear program, a reference to continued Chinese and Russian reluctance to move quickly on sanctions.

He spoke shortly after the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran shows no signs of freezing enrichment, adding that Tehran started work on a new batch Aug. 24.

Iran's refusal to cooperate fully with the IAEA and its continued development of nuclear technology leaves no doubt that it is seeking a nuclear bomb, Bolton told reporters. Iran contends its program is for peaceful purposes.

Key European nations will meet with Iran in September in a last-ditch effort to seek a negotiated solution to the standoff over Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, a senior U.N. diplomat said Thursday.

President Bush said "there must be consequences" for Iran, adding that the war between Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants and Israel demonstrated that "the world now faces a grave threat from the radical regime in Iran." .........

Bolton: U.N. Must Now Focus on Sanctions

Opinions anyone? Is Iran the threat it looks like or just bluffing?