Freely Enterprising

A 35-year-old Iranian-Canadian, Mahmoud Yadegari, has been charged with violating the Customs Act and a United Nations embargo on nuclear-related exports to Iran. Canada is in the throes of discovering there are increasing attempts to illegally spirit nuclear technology out of the country by enterprising souls wishing to ingratiate themselves with what are considered to be rogue states, or to line their pockets with ill-gotten gains from this illicit transport of nuclear-related items, forbidden to regimes such as Iran.

Mahmoud Yadegari stands accused, and appeared in a Toronto courtroom briefly on Friday, of attempting to export "pressure transducers" used to produce weapons-grade uranium, according to Inspector Greg Johnson, head of the RCMP customs and excise section in the region around Toronto. Police had spend the morning, afternoon and evening of the previous day methodically, meticulously searching Mr. Yagedari's home and backyard shed, cataloging found items of interest.

This investigation marks the first of its kind to result in charges in Canada, while representing only one of a steadily increasing number of such suspected and revealed incidents occurring of late. Over two dozen nuclear-related components have been sized by Customs officials in the past year, according to the manager of the counter-proliferation section of the Canada Border Services Agency.

Most of the intercepted materials are shipped by air, described as innocent-enough objects, bearing no relation to what they actually are, to forestall searches. "They don't describe the commodity as being for a nuclear centrifuge. They declare it is 'household effects', they declare it as 'auto parts' they declare it as 'scrap iron'. And once we even pull their freight aside for examination, they change their names", according to the CBSA manager.

The pressure transducers are considered to be a 'key component' of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. They are costly to obtain and it's more than likely this risky enterprise was undertaken by Mr. Yadegari as much to enrich himself personally, as to demonstrate his devotion to the Islamic Republic of Iran, a country with which Canada remains on edgy relations of mistrust and anger about its human-rights record.

Canada has a good many expatriate Iranians, now happily established as Canadian citizens, with no allegiance whatever to the fundamentalist Islamist regime in Iran.
The Islamist Republic has gone out of its way to abrade relations with any Western country, and the international community is alarmed at the country's steady course of nuclear development, particularly its enrichment of weapons-grade uranium.

That Iran has spread its acquisitive tentacles into Canada to obtain illicit centrifuge components to further enable its advance toward nuclear weaponry is an alarming turn of events. Although the country steadfastly insists its nuclear plants are meant for domestic use entirely, it's no secret that the agenda is inclusive of the attainment of nuclear weapons; warheads and the missiles to fire them. The ultimate power objects, the ultimate control mechanisms: fear and misgivings.

While the United Nations Security Council led by the United States insists that Iran cease in its weapons-grade refinement, and permit IAEA inspectors free access to all its nuclear emplacements, Iran refuses and mimics the demands by presenting those of its own: that Western forces withdraw from the near proximity of the country, and that the West collectively be prepared to destroy its entire nuclear arsenal - while respecting Iran's sovereign and religious right to acquire its own.

The issue of desisting in uranium enrichment by Iran is a non-starter, for the country. It will not engage in any discussions that include pre-conditions, such as enrichment cessation. Iran insists it has a divine right to achieve its mission of nuclear proficiency. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad mocks the West, claiming its 'rhetoric' and 'lack of respect' toward countries like Iran are unjustified, intolerable and unjust.

"Iran will respond to anyone who wants to talk with the Iranian nation from a position of egocentrism just like it responded to Mr. Bush..."

In its recently-unveiled 'package' meant to solve the world's ills in one fell swoop of magnanimous justifications evincing its concern for peace and good fellowship, Tehran "...'guarantees' peace, justice, respect for the nations, and the participation of all of them in resolving world problems. We are a people of dialogue and reason, and we say to you [the West] that today the world is run with respect and justice ... and those who want to use [the tool] of forcing [a policy on others] are backwards."

Presenting as a lavishly self-congratulating show of concern for reasonableness in world affairs, a pledge that the Republic of Iran is concerned with justice, respect and observes human rights, while the West, those stalwart proponents of reason, human rights and justice represent the very position that they insist Iran exemplifies. As sarcastic wit, this is no tour de force. As a mockery of decency and values, it descends a hellish pit.

No one can speak logically and reasonably with a regime that remains aggressively totalitarian, that threatens the peace and very existence of a neighbour, that thumbs its nose at world opinion, that insists it has a divine right to threaten co-existence with its neighbours through the attainment of nuclear weapons - and still presents itself as peaceful, freedom-loving and just.

Just what Canada needs; some of its citizens conspiring to take advantage of Canadian expertise and technology to aid and assist this exemplar of national lunacy on a scale hitherto only imagined as a nightmare potential.