Opinion | Editorials
Iran needs to be more transparent
Foreign policy should be based on nuclear transparency and respect for neighbours.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:59 August 12, 2008
Iran's hatred of the United States and its lack of clarity over its nuclear programme are over-shadowing its whole foreign policy.
The United States claims that Iran has a nuclear weapons programme (although without any clear evidence), and Iran refuses to open up to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections to prove its denial, even though Iran has passed all of the IAEA inspections of the civilian nuclear programme.
Iran could stop this charade immediately by being totally transparent to the international community, but it refuses to do so, claiming that such inspections would be an infringement of its sovereignty.
As it revels in this mischievous position, Iran has also chosen to assault its Arab neighbours in the Gulf, casting doubt on their legitimacy and adding that if Iran is attacked, it would stop the oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and attack oil refineries in the region.
Iran should move on. Its relationships with the Gulf Cooperation Council states should be based on respect, trust and equality. And it should be totally transparent on its nuclear programmes, so ending the crisis and allowing the region to focus on more important long-term issues.
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