Iran should clear nuclear doubts

イランの核疑惑

Iran, however, reacted defiantly to the resolution, saying its nuclear activities are designed strictly for power generation. Still, there is persistent suspicion that it may be trying to develop nuclear weapons through uranium enrichment. The Iranian government, if it is committed to a peaceful nuclear program, should dispel the suspicion by accepting full U.N. inspections and taking stronger confidence-building measures.

Iran's nuclear activity is a long story dating back many years, but it was not until after February last year that IAEA inspections raised concerns about a clandestine experiment with uranium enrichment. Following talks with Britain and two other European states, Iran suspended the work and signed the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, making clear that it had no intentions of developing nuclear weapons.

However, in July this year, Iran resumed assembling centrifuges for enrichment and declared a uranium-conversion program that could produce enough enriched uranium to make several atomic bombs.

It is only natural that the latest resolution should have expressed "serious concern" about those activities. The governing board, which is set to meet Nov. 25, says it will then determine whether Iran's nuclear programs are really intended for peaceful purposes. As such, the resolution passed Sept. 18 should be seen as an "ultimatum" to Tehran.

The IAEA says it might consider "further steps" on the basis of a report from its director general Mohamed ElBaradei. The United States takes the hard-line position that if Iran does not comply, it should be referred to the U.N. Security Council — a move that could lead to the imposition of sanctions.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rowhani, while rejecting the resolution, said the country would nonetheless continue with its voluntary suspension of the critical part of the enrichment process — "actual enrichment" — that could produce weapons-grade nuclear fuel. But he left open the possibility that hard-line conservatives at home might pressure the government to withdraw from the NPT if the Security Council decided to impose sanctions.

The U.S. administration of President George W. Bush, which is concerned that certain non-nuclear states are using NPT provisions as "loopholes" for nuclear weapons development, is determined to restrict civilian nuclear-fuel production by non-nuclear have-nots. But countries critical of U.S. policy have a degree of sympathy toward Iran, believing that the United States is curbing non-nuclear nations' rights to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and that the nuclear monopoly by a handful of nuclear states is making the NPT an unequal treaty.

The NPT system has serious flaws and dilemmas, as shown by the open possession of nuclear weapons by India and Pakistan, North Korea's suspected nuclear-weapons programs and the existence of an international "nuclear black market." Iran, which has been branded a "rogue state" by the Bush administration, sees the U.S. strategy of pre-emption as a threat to its security.

Not a few countries are critical of "double standards" in U.S. policy — blaming Iran, for example, while winking at Israel. The United States is seen as patronizing Pakistan, a beachhead in the U.S.-led anti-terror campaign, despite its leading role in the nuclear black market.

The NPT recognizes the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. But claiming this right is one thing; conducting suspect nuclear activities is quite another. Recent disclosures about South Korea's undeclared uranium-enrichment experiment immediately come to mind. The question at stake is whether nuclear programs by non-nuclear states are strictly peaceful. Iran must take the IAEA resolution seriously.

The Japan Times Weekly
Oct. 2, 2004
(C) All rights reserved

      イランは決議に強く反発、自国の核開発計画は発電目的に限定していると主張したが、ウラン濃縮活動を通じ、核兵器を開発しているとの疑惑は消えない。

      昨年2月、IAEAの査察団がイランのウラン濃縮実験に憂慮の念を表明、イランは実験を中止し、核不拡散条約の追加議定書に署名して、核兵器開発の意図がないことを示した。だが今年7月にはウラン濃縮用遠心分離機の組み立てを開始、原爆数個が製造可能なウラン転換計画に着手した。

      IAEAはエルバラダイ事務局長の報告に基づき、さらに強い措置を取ることを示唆している。米国は、イランが決議内容を履行しなければ、問題を国連安保理に付託すべきと主張、対イラン制裁の可能性も出てきた。

      イランの核問題対外交渉責任者であるロウハニ氏は、イランは兵器級ウランの濃縮プロセスを自発的に停止しているが、もし安保理が制裁実施を決定すれば、核不拡散条約から撤退する可能性もあると言う。

      非核国家の平和的核利用を制限しようするブッシュ政権の動きや、少数国家による核保有が核不拡散条約を不公平にしている状況は、国際的批判を浴びている。

      また、核不拡散体制には、インド、パキスタンの公然たる核兵器保有、北朝鮮の核開発疑惑、国際的「核の闇市場」の存在などの深刻な問題がある。

      イランの核疑惑を非難しながら、イスラエルの同様の疑惑には眼をつぶる米国の不公平な政策には批判の声が高い。

      核不拡散条約は核の平和利用の権利を認めている。しかし権利を主張することと、秘密の核開発計画を進めることは違う。問題は非核国家の核利用計画が平和利用目的かどうかだ。イランは IAEA決議に真摯に応えなければならない。