As reported here, Six world powers agreed Friday to pursue possible U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, but left crucial questions about the scope and timing of any measures unresolved.
Top diplomats from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia said in a joint statement after talks in London that they were "deeply disappointed" by Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a key step toward making nuclear weapons.
Reading the diplomats' joint statement, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Iran had two choices when the United Nations demanded it halt enrichment activities.
"We regret that Iran has not yet taken the positive one."
Beckett said the six powers "will now consult on measures under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter." Article 41 authorizes the Security Council to impose non-military sanctions such as completely or partially severing diplomatic and economic relations, transportation and communications links.
The fact that Iran has refused to comply with the UN demands to stop their nuclear enrichment program is no surprise, as they have repeatedly stated that they wouldn't. Although the envoys from the six nations (United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia) have finally come to that realization, and have threatened to pursue sanctions against Iran, thereby putting more pressure on Iran, sanctions alone won't do much good unless the rest of the member nations also sign off on those sanctions.
I don't see that as being very likely, as there are a lot of nations that do business with Iran, and by abiding by any economic sanctions placed on Iran would hurt their own economies. Greed will over rule good sense, as it did in the Oil-For-Food sanctions against Saddam's Iraq regime, allowing Iran to continue to thumb their nose at the rest of the world.
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