Europe moves closer to sanctions on Iran

[cal04]

Europe yesterday moved closer to trade sanctions and visa bans against Iran, but EU foreign ministers rejected any idea of military force against Tehran for refusing to co-operate with the United Nations over its nuclear programme.
The White House dismissed reports that it was preparing military action, including a possible tactical nuclear strike, to destroy suspected Iranian atomic weapon sites. Mr Bush said force was not necessarily required to stop Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and said reports of plans for a military attack was "wild speculation".

In Luxembourg, the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said that "any military action is definitely out of the question for us," but added that Europe should ready itself for punitive action against Tehran. Meanwhile, senior British defence sources warned that a military strike would lead almost certainly to retribution against British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tehran has immense influence among Shia militias in the British-occupied south of the country and is widely believed to be directing some of its campaigns. There are also reports of Iranian infiltration into southern Afghanistan, where Britain is in the process of deploying almost 6,000 troops. There is widespread opposition in the British military to military engagement with Iran. Admiral Sir Alan West said before retiring as the head of the Royal Navy any attack could have "horrendous consequences" and "must be avoided".

EU foreign ministers have been given a discussion paper drawn up by Mr Solana with options including the withdrawal of export credits and the imposition of visa bans on nuclear scientists and researchers. Ben Bot, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, said the EU would examine ways to "boost ties" with non-governmental groups, and with the general population in Iran. Asked whether military action against Iran was a possibility, the Slovenian foreign minister, Dimitrij Rupel, said: "Absolutely not".

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article357037.ece

[Kutjara]

1. So now a million Iranian children can die...

...from malnutrition and lack of access to basic medicines, just like Iraq.

What was that definition of insanity again, doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result?

[SoftUnderbelly]

4. exactly

sanctions stregnthen the position of those in power by making the population even more reliant on the government. i believe that sanctions helped destroy iraq's middle classes and any chance of meaningful opposition within the country.

china and russia wont support this anyway, in iran they see an opportunity to do a nice bit of business.

[newyawker99]

5. Hi SoftUnderbelly!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[rfkrfk]

2. meaningless hot air . n/t

[wakeme2008]

3. And Mr EU how much Iranian OIL do you need a day

and what would the prices be without it. Just asking.....