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Iran is Entitled to Nuclear Power

New Vision (Kampala)
EDITORIAL
October 26, 2004
Posted to the web October 26, 2004
Kampala
THE UNITED States wants to block Iran's uranium enrichment programme. Yet the
United States is not objecting to Brazil's enrichment programme.
The suspicion is that hardliners in the United States administration want to
use the enrichment issue to force 'regime change' in Iran, just as they used
disinformation about Weapons of Mass Destruction to justify toppling Saddam
Hussein in Iraq.
Nuclear power is dangerous. It produces radioactive waste that remains lethal
for thousands of years. And it is possible to make nuclear bombs from enriched
fuel.
However there is an increasing recognition that nuclear power may be the only
lasting solution to the problem of global warming because it does not emit
carbon dioxide or 'greenhouse gases' that warm the atmosphere. In 50 years,
most nations of the world may depend on nuclear power.
The International Atomic Energy Authority superintends the nuclear industry
globally. It has the technical capacity and the political authority to make
spot checks on any nuclear station in the world. The IAEA can check if nations
are diverting fuel for illicit weapons programmes.
Recently the IAEA had a standoff with Brazil which refused to show them parts
of their enrichment machinery saying it was commercially confidential.
Eventually Brazil and the IAEA compromised on inspections.
The USA stayed silent on Brazil but wants Iran's nuclear programme to be
debated by the UN Security Council. The USA opposes attempts by Britain, France
and Germany to negotiate directly with Iran over fuel enrichment. And the USA
opposes the IAEA taking responsibility for policing Iran's nuclear power
programme.
We must accept several facts: Iran is entitled to have a nuclear power
programme including enrichment; the IAEA is responsible for global enforcement
of the nuclear power industry; and any attempt by the United States to force
regime change in Iran would be unacceptable to the world community.

   

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