Atom work expanding in Iran, UN agency says Heightening tensions, Washington calls for tougher sanctions 3 Edition

• Published in: International herald tribune
• Main Author: David E. Sanger and William J. Broad
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris New York Times Company 23.02.2007
• Edition: International edition
• Subjects: Sanctions; WASHINGTON
• ISSN: 0294-8052

Since the last report by the atomic agency, President George W. Bush has ordered two aircraft-carrier groups to the waters off Iran, a reminder that if diplomacy fails, he could rapidly order airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. But administration officials have said repeatedly that there are no plans for such attacks, and they are clearly hoping to use the agency's conclusions, both to bolster the sanctions approved in December by the UN Security Council and to convince banks around the world to cut off business ties with Iran. Iran has repeatedly rejected that condition, which would essentially halt their nuclear progress. Unlike North Korea, which agreed in principle this month to freeze its production of new nuclear material, Iran does not yet have a nuclear weapon, and it fears that once it suspends uranium production, it will lose its leverage in negotiations. Bush and [Condoleezza Rice] are also concerned about a lack of leverage, however. With crude oil now around $60 a barrel, Iran has plenty of revenue flowing in despite sanctions, and its ability to sow more chaos in Iraq limits American options. In its resolution in December, the Security Council gave Iran 60 days to suspend its enrichment operations and to answer a series of questions that nuclear inspectors have posed for more than a year. Those include requests, based on information found on a laptop computer that German and American officials apparently obtained from an Iranian scientist, that Iran say whether it is working on a way to integrate a nuclear weapon with the re-entry vehicle mounted on its medium- range ballistic missiles.