Hearts & MindsSM - Information for ChangeSM War or Peace? The dangerous disagreement with Iran - and what you can do about it

The United States, Europe and the United Nations fear that Iran is working to make nuclear weapons. Iran claims they are producing highly enriched uranium (EU) only for electricity.

The USA and others are concerned because Iran is rich in oil and doesn’t need nuclear power. EU is also not necessary for atomic power plants. Further, Iran has not proved trustworthy in the past and has been caught cheating on its nuclear agreements.

Involvement with terrorism
Iran is considered by many a terrorist state because they fund terrorist groups that target civilians. These groups appear ruthless in trying to end Western and Israeli influence in the Middle East.

Iran provides Lebanon's Hezbollah with enormous amounts of weaponry. While millions of Iranians live in poverty, Iran gives this terrorist organization possibly $200 million a year in weapons and other aid.

There is also strong evidence that Iran is heavily involved in aiding sectarian violence that kills many thousands of Muslim civilians in Iraq.

Denial of reality
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, denies the holocaust took place despite literally tons of captured Nazi records, first-hand testimonies from millions of eyewitnesses, mass graves, films of piles of emaciated bodies, and more.

While Ahmadinejad denies the holocaust, he threatens to “wipe Israel off the map.” Such hate-baiting extremism removes credibility from his statements that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.

Benefits
Still, the USA proposed major incentives. If Iran suspends EU production, the USA and the UN Security Council would help Iran with alternative nuclear-power technologies. These methods cannot be used for weapons. The USA could also lift its embargo on airplanes and spare parts and other goods. These are valuable benefits for Iran.

Stubbornness – or tough negotiating?
Ahmadinejad clearly said that Iran will not stop enriching uranium. He escalated his rhetoric, saying Iran has as much of a right to nuclear weapons as the United States.

Iran’s president says he is willing to keep talking. President Bush says the USA should not talk further until Iran stops making EU.

Difficult options
One option is to bomb Iran's nuclear production plants, but these are well protected. The resulting fallout could kill many Iranians and even people in surrounding nations. It could also ignite a major war.

The USA and UN are continuing to try compromising, but so far Iran seems very determined to continue EU production.

What can you do to help?
You can voice your opinions to your elected representatives. You could also start a petition and collect signatures to support your viewpoint.   

What is EU?      Highly enriched uranium (EU) is one of the main chemicals used to make nuclear weapons. It is much more difficult and expensive than other forms of nuclear fuel that also work well for generating electricity. Iran is producing weapon grade uranium, Uranium-235. This denser isotope is also more dangerous in case of a nuclear accident, or if the West bombs Iran’s nuclear production plants.