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Teaming up on Iran

10/2/2003

THE BUSH administration, in conjunction with the rest of the international community, is confronting two kinds of challenges from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Policy makers should not confuse the two. In response to Iran's program to develop nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency has done what the Bush administration asked it to do: set a deadline of Oct. 31 for Tehran to sign a protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty permitting intrusive short-notice inspections of any site in Iran. The recent disclosure that IAEA inspectors found traces of highly enriched uranium at a second site in Iran suggests that the administration was right to push for the deadline. In this crisis, President Bush has thus far worked within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, relying on the IAEA and cooperating with other governments.

Fittingly, the European Union issued a statement Monday linking Iran's compliance with the IAEA deadline to progress on a trade pact that Tehran desperately needs. The foreign ministers of the 15 EU members also issued a demand that went beyond the IAEA request for anywhere, any time inspections. They said Iran must "refrain from fuel-cycle activities which can also be used to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons."

An Iranian official retorted that Iran will not respond to "threats and pressures." But it should be obvious that the EU's threats and pressures are precisely what is required to prevent Tehran from exploiting loopholes in the Non-Proliferation Treaty and then opting out of it, as North Korea has done.

It should also be obvious that Washington and the Europeans are on the same page in their assessment of Iran's nuclear threat. This is true despite a marked difference in European and American attitudes toward diplomatic engagement with the regime in Tehran.

Bush would be wise to lean more toward the Europeans' carrot-and-stick approach. He could learn from the EU foreign ministers who declared Monday that before they complete work on a trade agreement, Tehran must not only halt its enrichment of uranium but also improve human rights, cease sabotaging the Middle East peace process, and cooperate more against terrorism.

US and Iranian officials held talks in Geneva on Iraq and other matters, but the administration broke off the talks in May. They should be renewed. Iran's foreign minister has rightly noted that Washington and Tehran have cooperated fruitfully in Afghanistan and share a common interest in preventing disorder or fragmentation in Iraq. Bush should remain unyielding on Iran's nuclear program but explore possibilities for cooperation in Iraq and elsewhere.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2003/10/02/teaming_up_on_iran/

Iran's Khatami Vows to Pass Reform Bills

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president, repeatedly stymied in efforts to carry out promised reforms, said Tuesday he would get two key bills passed "one way or the other."

The two pieces of legislation — seen as vital for President Mohammad Khatami to implement the reform platform on which he was elected — would limit the powers of the Guardian Council and other unelected bodies controlled by hard-liners in Iran's Islamic government.

One proposal would give Khatami greater powers to stop constitutional violations by his hard-line opponents, while the other would bar the Guardian Council from arbitrarily disqualifying candidates in parliamentary and presidential elections.

"Unfortunately, both bills faced problems, but still I've not lost hope because in the end this issue will be solved one way or the another," state-run Tehran television quoted Khatami as saying.

Khatami was addressing provincial governors at a meeting in Tehran to prepare for crucial parliamentary elections scheduled for February. He said he did not expect the elections bill to be approved before the February vote.

Khatami has few remaining options: He can take up the issue with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters; demand a referendum on the bills; or resign.

For years, Iran been embroiled in a power struggle between elected reformers supporting Khatami's program of peaceful democratic reforms and hard-liners resisting them through the powerful but unelected bodies they control, including the Guardian Council and the judiciary.

Since Khatami took office in 1997, hard-liners have used their control of unelected bodies to block all reform legislation, shut down more than 100 liberal publications and detain dozens of pro-reform activists and writers.

Khatami, who offered to resign in July, has repeatedly complained he is powerless to stop hard-liners from violating the constitution and acting against voted reforms.

"Khatami has made it clear that if the two bills are not approved, it would be meaningless for him to remain in his position as president," said Saeed Shariati, a leader of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, Iran's largest reformist political party.

The reformist-dominated parliament passed the bills over the summer but the hard-line Guardian Council, an oversight body, vetoed them, claiming they were contrary to Islam and the constitution.

Members of the hard-line Guardian Council have vowed to reject reformist candidates who seek major changes.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=3&u=/ap/20031001/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_politics