It is difficult not to respond cynically to Washington and Europe's announcements of impending sanctions against Iran. This story has been going on for four years. In February the International Atomic Energy Agency resolved to report Tehran to the United Nations Security Council after finding the regime ridicules, deceives, evades and breaches promises.

But in August, the five permanent members of the Security Council could not agree on the next move. The U.S. wanted sanctions; Russia and China disagreed; Europe tried to mediate.

The truth is that is the story now, too. True, the Security Council, a huge ocean liner sailing slowly and struggling to change direction, has made a little progress. But Iran has been given another "last chance."

	Advertisement

Everyone agrees Iran is determined to enrich uranium but is trying to buy time and needs another two or three years to reach the technological threshold to manufacture nuclear weapons. For internal and international reasons, Iran doesn't want sanctions.

And it is still hard to see sanctions on the horizon. In any case, even if the Security Council ocean liner makes more progress, the sanctions will be "soft" limitations on Iranian officials' international travel  and not effective. But some sanctions are better than none.