CIC Calls for Action by the Canadian Government over Iranian Nuclear Intransigence
Posted on: February 10, 2010

For immediate release by the CIC:

CIC Calls for Action by the Canadian Government over Iranian Nuclear Intransigence

Ottawa, Feb. 10, 2009 – Today, the United States government announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Treasury Department measures build on previous sanctions directed against the IRGC for its involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities – both state sponsorship and direct involvement in attacks. In essence, profits generated by IRGC-linked operations serve as the source of critical financing for the full range of the IRGC’s illicit activities.

Today’s announcement is the latest in a number of unilateral steps taken by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia to curb Iranian nuclear proliferation and its state sponsorship of terrorism. As American Under-Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey explained, these measures “will help firms worldwide avoid business that ultimately benefits the IRGC and its dangerous activities.”

Canada has taken a leadership role at the United Nations in highlighting Iran’s dismal human rights record and has fully implemented UN Security Council sanctions targeting Iranian nuclear proliferation. However, as Canada’s allies continue to take steps to isolate and confront the terrorist and nuclear threats posed by Iran, this country is falling behind.  “The time for action is now; Canada cannot wait forever as Iran stalls for time while continuing to develop its nuclear weapons capability, which threatens not only the Middle East, but global peace and security”, stated Moshe Ronen, National Chair of the CIC.

The Government of Canada should join more fully in confronting this global threat by including the IRGC on its list of designated terrorist entities and targeting the proliferation and terrorism activities of the Iranian regime under the Special Economic Measures Act. Iran is currently very susceptible to targeted economic measures and like-minded countries must be willing to act together in order to bring Iran into compliance and defuse this situation without resorting to more coercive alternatives.

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The following editorial from the New York Times underscores the need for tough sanctions:

Time’s Up
Editorial, The New York Times
Wed Feb 10  2010

Over the last four years, the United Nations Security Council has repeatedly demanded that Iran stop producing nuclear fuel. Iran is still churning out enriched uranium and has now told United Nations inspectors that it is raising the level of enrichment – moving slightly closer to bomb-grade quality.

President Obama was right to offer to negotiate with Tehran. Washington and its allies were right to look for possible compromises even after Tehran was caught – again – hiding an enrichment plant.

Enough is enough. Iran needs to understand that its nuclear ambition comes with a very high cost.

President Obama said on Tuesday that the United States and its allies are “moving along fairly quickly” on a new sanctions resolution. He also said it would take several weeks to draft a proposal. That is not reassuring. Once a resolution is written, the negotiating process typically drags on for weeks, if not months.

Iran is in such economic and political turmoil that its government may be more vulnerable to outside pressure. Security forces have expanded a crackdown on the political opposition, arresting hundreds of people ahead of Thursday’s anniversary of the Iranian revolution.

American officials say they are eager to impose sanctions that would inflict maximum damage on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which runs the nuclear program and a large chunk of the Iranian economy. The plan, as we understand it, is to block their banking, their shipping, their insurance. American officials also say they want to minimize the additional suffering of the Iranian people. That makes sense to us, although squaring the circle won’t be easy.

If the Security Council is to move ahead with sanctions that bite, Washington and its allies are going to have to step up the pressure on Russia and China – Iran’s two enablers, both with a veto – to go along.

Russia has signaled support for another resolution. If history is any guide, we fear Russia will sharply whittle down the impact. China, eager to buy ever more oil from Iran, is an even bigger obstacle. China needs to understand that ensuring reliable oil supplies would become a lot harder if the Middle East is roiled by a nuclear-armed Iran.

The more the Security Council temporizes, compromises and weakens these resolutions, the more defiant and ambitious Iran becomes. If the Security Council can’t act swiftly, or decisively, the United States and its allies will have to come up with their own tough sanctions. They should be making a backup plan right now.

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