Can We Rely on the IAEA?

The November 15, 2007 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report to its Board of Governors and to the Security Council produced two extreme reactions among those who are most concerned with Iran’s nuclear project: dismay among those who foresee a possible Iranian nuclear weapon in the foreseeable future if nothing is done to block it, and joy among the Iranians who see themselves vindicated by this report. However, this report was not a surprise, since it continued a troublesome IAEA trend of diverting attention from the burning issues and concentrating on less relevant issues. By doing this, the IAEA gave Iran a chance to demonstrate cooperation without harming its progress on the central issue of uranium enrichment. Moreover, the report did not sound the alarm that should have brought a Security Council consensus on new international sanctions.