Iran secured the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy when it signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in the 1970's and entered into a Safeguards Agreement, which became effective on 15 May 1974. This right was added to the treaty as an incentive to encourage non-nuclear nations into signing, thereby strengthening the treaty.
My question is, Why do politicians who discusses Iran's program only rely on what this person has said about the program or quote Sec of State Rice's latest rhetoric and claims. The best source of information I have found about Iran's nuclear program, comes from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel responsible for program oversight on the ground. The IAEA and the international community have spent the last 32 years dealing with Iran, in order to achieve the level of cooperation we see today.
For a good review of information on Iran's program, please see the IAEA's Information Circular dated 3 Feb 2006. I believe that paragraphs 1 thru 11 on pages 4 & 5 of this Information Circular fairly and factually sum up the Iranian nuclear "crisis". There were problems with the program early on (IMHO Iran was testing the IAEA resolve to see what they could get away with), but the economic and political climate have changed and the IAEA is very effective and knowledgeable in ensuring safeguards are in place.
Iran has since given up trying to fool the IAEA and has complied and cooperated fully with the IAEA. Iran is 100% within their right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful means; a right secured by signing the NPT. It took 32 years to get Iran to this level of cooperation and to be fair, since 1974 to date, not one nuclear power plant in Iran has come on line, even for a second. Why? It is because of the effectiveness of the IAEA safeguards.
Now, 32 years later. After the IAEA has finally achieved a satisfactory level of cooperation, this administration comes along and claims better knowledge and intelligence than the IAEA? Come on, wake up!
These are the same people who fixed the facts and intelligence around the policy to invade Iraq. These are the same people who where "wrong" about WMD's. These are the same people who were "wrong" about the aftermath in Iraq. These are the same people who were "wrong" about the amount of troops needed for the initial invasion mission. These are the same people who were "wrong" about the cost for the war in Iraq. These are the same people who were "wrong" about the levels of preparation for Hurricane Katrina. These are the same people who were "wrong" about the UAE port deal. These are the same people who were involved with Jack Abramoff. These are the same people who lied about unwarranted domestic wiretaps. And these are the same people who lied about the Valerie Plame leak.
The latest revision of history involves the redacting of this NYT editorial. It is interesting to see what Iran's stance was back in 2002 and 2003 in light of how the administration has conducted itself since than.
All these delegations proved helpful. None was more so than the Iranians. On two occasions Iranian representatives made particularly memorable contributions. The original version of the Bonn agreement, drafted by the United Nations and amended by the Afghans who were present, neglected to mention either democracy or the war on terrorism. It was the Iranian representative who spotted these omissions and successfully urged that the newly emerging Afghan government be required to commit to both.
I do not trust this administration. I do not believe they ever tell the truth. Please let the IAEA do it's job. We must find a way to create peace in the region, not war. War is not pretty and war is not fair, especially to all the children involved.