EU wary of slapping Iran with new nuclear sanctions
Europeans doubt more restrictions can halt nuclear project and bring Iran to the negotiating table.
By DPA Tags: EU Iran nuclear Israel newsEuropean Union foreign ministers on Monday backed away from threatening Iran with fresh sanctions over its controversial nuclear program, saying that the bloc should only bring in new restrictions if the United Nations Security Council asked.
The EU has already hit Iran with a range of sanctions, but these have not been enough to stop Iran's nuclear program, leading some member states to question whether further punishment would have any effect.
"The sanction instrument is a very blunt one, so it should be usedwith extreme care," Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said as he arrived for talks in Brussels with EU counterparts.
"Our aim is to get the Iranians to the negotiating table and have a political solution, and if there are any sanctions which can reinforce that possibility, I'm ready to look at them," Bildt said.
The EU has targeted Iran with a series of sanctions since the country stopped cooperating with the UN's nuclear watchdog. They range from asset freezes on banks and key figures linked to the nuclear program, to embargoes on exports of arms and equipment.
The revelation at the end of 2009 that Iran had built a further nuclear enrichment plant near Qom led to calls for further sanctions.
But EU foreign ministers insisted that the bloc should not move on the matter without the support of the world's greatest powers.
"With Iran, (sanctions) will work out only if all the UN Security Council permanent members agree. ... The EU is ready to do it, but to get really functioning sanctions, we need all big players in the world to be united behind this decision," stressed Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet.
Monday's debate came six weeks after EU leaders called on Iran to shut down its controversial uranium-enrichment program.
"Iran's persistent failure to meet its international obligations and Iran's apparent lack of interest in pursuing negotiations require a clear response, including through appropriate measures," their joint statement said.
The leaders ordered their foreign ministers to "consider options for next steps" at Monday's meeting.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
they were complicit 70 yrs ago and are being so once again...I guess enough time has elapsed where their guilt now requires a pound of israeli flesh to make them somehow feel better...what a disgrace the EU is...russia, china and the EU are completely responsible for this impending mess...shifting responsibility to the UNSC is a joke ...they KNOW china and russia will never be onside.. all that to say, a newer kinder gentler america led by obama has NOT produced any results in terms of rallying the internationals...they are ALL SELLING OUT TO OIL ironically like they claimed bush did...what a bunch of cretins the euros are..
The hypocrisy of trying to compel Iran to conform to the NPT while Israel continues to refuse to sign it is not lost on these countries.
No one is permitted to make nuclear weapons. Not being an NPT member does not mean certain attack. Look at Israel, North Korea, India, and Pakistan; no one attacks their nuke sites. No war is ever justified. People create wars to satisfy their own agenda.
what a joke..and it was all predictable. Sacrificing Israel is easier for them than losing some economic benefits from iran..short erm thinking tinged with good old anti Semitism. but wait! they're not anti semitic, they're anti zionist! ha! the fact is, they know full well that the UNSC will not be united and therefore this announcement is nothing short of the EU totally ducking their responsibility. Israel will hit iran and you watch, all of europe will then scream at Israel when really, it will have been the EU's fault along with china and russia. I think Israel should look at this statement for what it really is saying...and that is, you're on your own..we won't help you. Naively, they think iran is not their problem...as someone here rightly pointed out, the EU will sanction Israel if the wind blows the wrong way, but they won't dare sanction iran, who has oil ....what a double faced bunch of weasels..and they hollered that Bush was only after oil...and look at them now!
Why should the Europians slap sanctions on Iran? The only possible motivation to do so is fear of Israelis
what a joke..and it was all predictable. Sacrificing isreal is easier for them than losing some economic benefits from iran..short erm thinking tinged with good old anti semitism..but wait! they're not anti semitic, they're anti zionist! ha! the fact is, they know full well that the UNSC will not be united and therefore this announcement is nothing short of the EU totally ducking their responsability. Israel will hit iran and you watch, all of europe will then scream at isreal when really, it will have been the EU's fault along with china and russia. I think Israel should look at this statement for what it really is saying...and that is, you're on your own..we won't help you. Naively, they think iran is not their problem...as someone here rightly pointed out, the EU will sanction israel if the wind blows the wrong way, but they won't dare sanction iran, who has oil ....what a double faced bunch of weasels..and they hollered that Bush was only after oil...and look at them now!
what a joke..and it was all predictable. Sacrificing isreal is easier for them than losing some economic benefits from iran..short erm thinking tinged with good old anti semitism..but wait! they're not anti semitic, they're anti zionist! ha! the fact is, they know full well that the UNSC will not be united and therefore this announcement is nothing short of the EU totally ducking their responsability. Israel will hit iran and you watch, all of europe will then scream at isreal when really, it will have been the EU's fault along with china and russia. I think Israel should look at this statement for what it really is saying...and that is, you're on your own..we won't help you. Naively, they think iran is not their problem...as someone here rightly pointed out, the EU will sanction israel if the wind blows the wrong way, but they won't dare sanction iran, who has oil ....what a double faced bunch of weasels..and they hollered that Bush was only after oil...and look at them now!
saying they will not support further sanctions on Iran over the nuclear issue. Looks like Israel is going to get the election pledge Netanyahu made. War with Iran
what a joke..and it was all predictable. Sacrificing israel is easier for them than losing some economic benefits from iran..short term thinking tinged with good old anti semitism..but wait! they're not anti semitic, they're anti zionist! ha! the fact is, they know full well that the UNSC will not be united and therefore this announcement is nothing short of the EU totally ducking their responsibility. Israel will hit iran and you watch, all of europe will then scream at israel when really, it will have been the EU's fault along with china and russia. I think Israel should look at this statement for what it really is saying...and that is, you're on your own..we won't help you. Naively, they think iran is not their problem...the EU will sanction israel if the wind blows the wrong way, but they won't dare sanction iran for nukes, because they have oil ....what a double faced bunch of weasels..and they hollered that Bush was only after oil...and look at them now!
what a joke..and it was all predictable. Sacrificing isreal is easier for them than losing some economic benefits from iran..short erm thinking tinged with good old anti semitism..but wait! they're not anti semitic, they're anti zionist! ha! the fact is, they know full well that the UNSC will not be united and therefore this announcement is nothing short of the EU totally ducking their responsability. Israel will hit iran and you watch, all of europe will then scream at isreal when really, it will have been the EU's fault along with china and russia. I think Israel should look at this statement for what it really is saying...and that is, you're on your own..we won't help you. Naively, they think iran is not their problem...as someone here rightly pointed out, the EU will sanction israel if the wind blows the wrong way, but they won't dare sanction iran, who has oil ....what a double faced bunch of weasels..and they hollered that Bush was only after oil...and look at them now!
Loudly claiming benifits, authority, visibility. It makes itself small and invisible when it comes to take on responibility. Nicolas Sarkozy made a speach 'Israel must know it is not alone (not abondoned to Iran nuck threat)'. Now I am really convinsed it is so.
Sanctions will not work unless the US and the EU and Russia and China all work together and impose them. Just plain logic.
The prime minister of sweden and also currently the rotating president of the EU in bed with the Iranians, what a shocker. If "sancations" were such a blunt instrument, then why did the Iranians announce yesterday they're increasing uranium enrichment to 20%, the amount required to make nuclear weapons?
with bypassing the american technology transfer restrictions. LM Ericsson ,a Swedish electronic giant has bought US radar parts ostensibly for the Arlanda airport in Stockholm.The same parts were then reexported to the Sovjet Union. Norwegians sold to Rusians specialized machine lathes ,capable of shaping ultra-quiet propellers for the Rusians nuclear subs ,thus negating an american advantage in that area. Counting on EU to impose sanctions on Iran is preposterous.
All the Jews have to do is hang tough and the Europeans will fold here as well.