All Options To Be Considered

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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano attends a news conference during a board of governors meeting at the UN headquarters in Vienna Thursday. Herwig Prammer/REUTERS

"The information we have received in the past three years has given us a clearer picture of Iran's nuclear program. We now have more pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. It is clear that Iran has a case to answer." Yukiya Amano

It's just too naive to ask why this alarming picture took so long to bring forward. It might be that the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, takes his job far more seriously than his predecessor did. He sees far less need to be conciliatory to the Islamic Republic of Iran than did Mohamed el Baradei. Who may not have been too enthusiastic about outright condemning a near neighbour.

Iran has been called to explain itself. Iran has responded that there is no need to explain anything. For what the world sees, not what this new IAEA report hypothesizes, is what there is. An innocent enough cultivation of nuclear power for domestic purposes. And to ensure that the country is self-reliant for its need of medical isotopes. Why suggest any sinister motivation to venture into the underworld of nuclear weapons?

The aerial photographic clues, stupid. Traces of enriched uranium product that have no use other than for the manufacture of high-grade uranium to be used in the production of nuclear explosive devices. That huge steel container meant for testing explosives. The secret uninspected nuclear-bunker sites. The computer-generated evidence of enhanced weapons design and delivery.

The obvious intention of arming a Shahab-3 missile with a nuclear warhead; its reach extending directly toward Tel Aviv. As advertised.

Washington, and its allies in Paris and London appear satisfied that the conclusion reached by Mr. Amano and as set out as authorized by him in the newly-published IAEA report, is a correct reading of the situation. Meeting with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany there was an almost-consensus for the implementation of a fifth round of sanctions.

The usual hold-backs with their stiff denunciations of radical steps to punish a recalcitrant nation. Beijing, after all, is the world's energy-hungriest production central of global trade and does not take kindly to the thought that its oil supply may be interfered with. Russia has too much at stake in its many commercial ties with Tehran, including its nuclear power plant, Russian-built and likely not yet entirely paid for.

The U.S. and European Union restrictions placed on Iran, independent of the United Nations sanctions can be further expanded to do great financial harm to Iran's central bank. There are yet a few measures that can be invoked to apply pressure to Iran. But if the news leaking out of the Middle East can be corroborated, Saudi Arabia is still attempting to pressure the United States that a military strike looks like a very good option.