Iran - Sanctions are needed to be imposed by EU

clipped from commentisfree.guardian.co.uk

The world can't wait

As the Middle East's immediate western neighbour, Europe should act now to prevent an attack on Iran.

Will Bush order an air and special forces attack on Iran?

As with Iraq, America's strength may be enough to start a war, but not to win it.

To be precise, two overriding EU security interests are at stake: avoiding a war with Iran and preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power. These two apparently contradictory interests can be reconciled and translated into a common strategy by adopting a three-pronged approach based on efficient isolation, effective containment, and direct negotiations.

It was both right and important that the EU council of foreign ministers agreed on sanctions against Iran. Faced with the threat of financial sanctions, Iran's political elite is increasingly realising the price of its confrontational course. It is imperative to further this process in a resolute manner, while at the same time rejecting military adventurism.

The case for action for Iran: Isolation, containment and direct negotiations without military adventurism.

reposted from: CIF, Guardian
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