Talking to RIA Novosti March 10, a well-informed IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) source noted that Tehran had virtually refused to meet a key EU demand during its talks with the European Union that got underway in Geneva March 9.
EU representatives demanded that Iran stop its uranium-enrichment operations, which, as European experts believe, can facilitate the development of Iranian nuclear weapons. Tehran would be expected to stop these operations in exchange for some trade-and-economic advantages, as well as the delivery of nuclear technologies to Iran and construction of light-water reactors there, the agency's interlocutor added.
Meanwhile former Pentagon advisor Michael Rubin, who is a leading US authority on the Middle East, said that the United States might attack Iran, unless Tehran democratized its political system.
Rubin, who is perceived as a neo-conservative by US political circles, and who apparently advocates a military solution to the Iranian nuclear program, remains skeptical on possible changes in the Iranian political system
One can hold elections at any particular level; this largely does not differ from Saudi Arabia, Rubin stressed. However, the supreme Iranian spiritual leader and head of state, who controls the budget and weapons, is not elected, Rubin went on to say.
In his words, the development of nuclear weapons by an "Islamic", rather than "democratic", Iran poses the main danger to the George Bush Administration at this stage.
Europe is trying to exert efforts in order to turn Iran into a China-type country, Rubin stressed. However, the United States perceives the Islamic Republic of Iran with nuclear weapons in hand as a red line, the expert went on to say.
Should Washington decide to attack Iran, then the US leadership must make sure that its intelligence reports are quite accurate, Rubin noted.
We had so many problems with our intelligence data on Iraq; America must do everything possible in order to confirm such intelligence reports, before taking any subsequent actions (provided that it is seriously concerned about Iran), Rubin went on to say.
As of today, experts doubt the authenticity of reports concerning the Iranian nuclear program, which, as the United States believes, pursues military goals.
America's Cooper Cameron oil-industry equipment company has now decided to terminate its operations in Iran and to stop implementing a joint project together with Tehran. The corporate statement did not come as a sensation in this context.
In its March 10 issue, The Houston Chronicle writes that top Cooper Cameron executives have already informed US registering agencies about the termination of their business operations in Iran and the decision to mothball projects on Iranian territory.
According to the newspaper, Cooper Cameron has become the third US company to terminate its business operations and projects in Iran over the last few weeks.
Previously, the Halliburton and General Electric giants announced their plans to leave the Iranian market.
The reasons for such decisions are not disclosed.
