Print

Mail

wiki links

US and Gulf states working on nuclear containment: report

The US has begun developing a containment strategy with Iran's Gulf neighbors that aims to spread missile defense systems across the region and interdict ships suspected of carrying nuclear technology, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday.

The newspaper said the effort also reflects the administration's planning for a day when Iran becomes a nuclear state and, officials fear, more aggressive in a region that provides vital oil exports to the world.

"Iran without nuclear arms is a threat," Robert Joseph, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, told the paper in an interview.

"With nuclear weapons it would become even more emboldened, in terms of moving forward with its aggressive designs," he said.

A senior State Department official said the Gulf countries "as a whole are very receptive to the message," the report said.

Joseph rolled out the proposal during a trip last month to the six Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, the Times said.

John Hillen, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, led a top-level US delegation to the Gulf last week for further discussions.

Hillen said in an interview that the initiative "is really the first time in a while" the US had been actively involved in trying to reshape a regional security system. The effort "could put pressure on Iran to behave responsibly," the paper quoted him as saying.

US officials want to help boost the Gulf states' ability to monitor and control cargo on the high seas, and goods that are trans-shipped from busy Gulf ports, the Times said.

They want to help improve the countries' abilities to detect "front" companies for Iran and to identify and halt transactions to finance Iran's purchase of goods for its unconventional weapons programs, according to the report.

Meanwhile, world powers are considering dropping UN Security Council involvement in Iran's nuclear file if Tehran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment, but could push for selective sanctions backed by the threat of force if it doesn't, diplomats said yesterday.

Citing from a draft proposal now being considered by the five Security Council nations plus Germany, one of the diplomats said it could still undergo revision before the six nations sit down on Wednesday to approve it. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal elements of the draft.

The proposal says the international community will "agree to suspend discussion of Iran's file at the Security Council," if Tehran resumes discussion on its nuclear program and suspends enrichment during such talks and lifts a ban on intrusive inspections by experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

It also offers help in "the building of new light water reactors in Iran," offers an assured supply of nuclear fuel for up to five years and calls for Iran to accept a plan that would remove its own enrichment program to Russia to prevent misuse for a possible nuclear weapons program.

If Iran does not cooperate, however, the draft calls for bans on travel visas, freezing assets and banning financial transactions of key government figures and those involved in Iran's nuclear program; an arms embargo, and other measures.
This story has been viewed 2280 times.