Opinion | Editorials
Sanctions are not the solution
There is a major communication problem between the US and EU over Iran offer.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:53 June 17, 2008
Following the recent confusion over the "new Iran sanctions" between the European Union (EU) on the one hand and Britain and the US on the other, it seems the level of unity of the international community when it comes to Iran's nuclear programme is rather weak.
At the same time Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, was meeting with Iranian officials to offer them a new package that is designed to encourage Tehran to suspend the enrichment of uranium, US President George W. Bush already declared Iran's rejection of the package!
In fact, Iran had agreed to consider the new deal, which would grant it economic relief and still allow it to develop a civilian nuclear programme. Then on Monday, the EU said it hadn't agreed on new sanctions on Iran, contradicting British and US statements, which announced new measures on its financial and energy sectors.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, standing alongside Bush, made a strong statement: "Britain will urge Europe, and Europe will agree, to take sanctions against Iran."
So was this a result of American pressure? Whilst proving very harmful to the Islamic Republic's economy, sanctions have not slowed its peaceful nuclear programme, thus proving they are not an effective political tool. Sanctions against Iraq during the 1990s also confirm this.
The latest developments are demonstrative of the fact that there is a major communication problem not just between Iran and the US, but also between the Americans and the EU.
To date, the US has repeatedly refused to hold direct talks with Iran. Instead, the Bush administration has excessively relied on sounding off one warning after the next (as well as economic pressure).
Surely, the US cannot expect to solve the current dispute and reach a compromise without direct communication; it's called diplomacy and it's what sensible countries do to solve problems peacefully.
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