HOW ABOUT ANOTHER CONFERENCE...ANYBODY UP FOR A CONFERENCE?

Iran threatens to end all cooperation with IAEA (Associated press, January 13th, 2006)

Iran threatened on Friday to block inspections of its nuclear sites if the U.N. Security Council confronts it over its nuclear activities.

Germany, Britain and France said Thursday that nuclear talks with Tehran had reached a dead end after more than two years of acrimonious negotiations and the issue should be referred to the Security Council.

However, the Europeans held back from calling on the 15-nation council to impose sanctions and said they remained open to more talks.

France said Friday that it favors a step-by-step approach with Iran over its nuclear program and that any sanctions request at this stage would be premature.

“We, like our partners, like the British and the Germans, consider that this co-request for sanctions is premature for the moment,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said.[...]

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had “strong suspicion” that Iran wanted to build a nuclear bomb but stressed that there was no categorical evidence to prove that.[...]

He added that while Iran could face Security Council sanctions for resuming its nuclear activities, military action is not being considered.

“This can only be resolved by peaceful means. Nobody is talking about invading Iran or taking military action,” he said.

Is it any wonder so many of the world’s tyrants conclude the West is simply too enervated and frightened to confront them?