Only a week after the United Nations laid several sanctions on Iran, mostly to do with their use of nuclear weapons and uranium enrichment, President Barack Obama and his administration have taken things a step further.
Obama announced numerous people and organizations in Iran to the sanction list. All those who were added to the list are in one way or another connected to the Iranian missile and nuclear weapons programs.
The motives behind the actions of the Obama administration are two fold. Firstly, they are intended to strengthen the sanctions against Iran and attempt to halt their progression in nuclear weaponry. And secondly, with the newfound support for the UN sanctions by the United States leads the way for other countries to join in the battle to end the proliferation of nuclear weapons and maintain safety in the world.
Timothy Geithner, the White House Treasury Secretary, said, “This is not something the United States can do alone.”
Other nations are expected to follow suit. Due to the lack of power in the United Nations, the support of individual countries is essential. A big boost is said to come from the European Union, which is to declare sanctions on Iran as well.
Iran contends that their nuclear programs have nothing to do with planned construction of nuclear weapons. The blacklisted individuals and companies include a bank, insurance groups, and associated of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, to name a few. With the blacklists, Iran economic and political problems are expected to intensify as the nation will be forced to increase its isolation.
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmaninejad, has reacted defiantly to the sanctions, however. He plans to construct another four nuclear plants.
While there is no telling whether or not the sanctions will have any long-term effect on Iran and its nuclear weapons desires, it is now clear that the world will no longer tolerate defiance from the Middle Eastern state. With President Barack Obama leading the way in taking a stand against Iran, Iran must realize that they will no longer have peaceful relations with the powers of the world unless they agree to listen to the sanctions set by the United Nations.
Leave a Reply