U.S., France Reach Accord on Iran
Associated Press
September 21, 2007 7:01 p.m.
online.wsj.com
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. and France have reached an agreement on how to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Israel accused Iran of lying, while Tehran challenged the international community to send inspectors for a probe of its arch-rival's nuclear capabilities, in a rare and unusually bitter direct confrontation.
Ms. Rice and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, appearing in a joint news conference, both spoke of the need for new sanctions against Iran. "I think that there's, essentially, no difference in the way that we see the situation in Iran and what the international community must do," she said.
The two countries were preparing the groundwork for the new United Nations Security Council resolution at a Friday meeting of political directors from six major nations that have been trying to negotiate with Iran -- Russia, China, Britain and Germany, as well as France and the U.S.
The French government's tougher line has brought it closer to the Bush administration, which has made a renewed U.S. push to tighten sanctions.
Ms. Rice said she and Mr. Kouchner had also discussed Middle East peace efforts, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Lebanon.
During his two-day Washington visit, Mr. Kouchner has expanded on the recommendation made by his boss, President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Thursday for tightening international sanctions against Iran.
"We have explored and have used various freezes on assets of individuals. We have used visa bans. I think that there are any number of ways that we can expand those efforts," Ms. Rice said in discussing what kind of sanctions the U.S. would like to see approved by the Security Council.
Mr. Kouchner also addressed his country's recent call for European Union sanctions against Iran. He said that European countries are discussing sanctions that would be targeted against banking and industrial interests in Iran.
The tougher position has been welcomed in Washington, where Mr. Kouchner also met lawmakers, as well as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and national security adviser Stephen Hadley.
Iran, Israel Spar Over Nuclear Capabilities
The harsh words from Israel and Iran's representatives came after an attempt by Iran and Arab nations to submit a resolution on "Israel Nuclear Capabilities and Threat" was blocked by the European Union, the U.S. and other Western nations.
The exchange came after Iran's chief delegate Ail Asghar Soltanieh -- like Arab delegates before him -- said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had acknowledged earlier this year that his country possessed nuclear weapons. Israel denies the claim.
Mr. Soltanieh also criticized "the continuous silence of the U.S. … vis a vis the atrocities, aggression, bloodshed and violations of over 30 resolutions of the United Nations." That, he said, is a "shameful and dark point in the history of the United Nations, and the IAEA and the modern century at large."
In turn, Israeli delegate Israel Michaeli, alluding to claims that Mr. Olmert acknowledged Israel's nuclear weapons, said some previous speakers "continued to lie."
"Those who call for the elimination of Israel" have no right to criticize "Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel's very existence," Mr. Michaeli said.
Mr. Soltanieh then challenged the IAEA to send its inspectors into Israel "to verify who is telling the truth."
U.N. officials at the 148-nation conference said they had no memory of the two hostile nations ever engaging each other directly at previous meetings and noted that development -- and the unusually harsh tone of their statements -- reflected Middle East tensions.
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