Foreign Minister Smith talks tough on Iran
AUSTRALIA'S Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has expressed strong support for dialogue between Iran and international negotiators.
NAOMI LEVIN
AUSTRALIA’S Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has expressed strong support for impending dialogue between Iran and international negotiators, refusing to rule out the possibility of tougher sanctions if Iran fails to dismantle its nuclear program.
Following meetings with members of the United States Administration, Smith called Iran’s most recent missile tests “provocative and inflammatory”.
He added that a nuclear Iran posed “one of the most difficult international security issues”.
Smith’s stance was supported by the Opposition, with shadow foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop urging Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and fully disclose its nuclear program.
“It is vital that Iran provides evidence to prove that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes,” Bishop said.
“It is also important that, if necessary, significant pressure is brought to bear on the Iranian regime through strong sanctions supported internationally.”
Speaking from Washington last week, Smith stressed the importance of Iran agreeing to talks scheduled with the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
“We’ve been trying to get these talks for a long time, so the fact that Iran has agreed to the talks is in itself a good step. Time will tell whether the talk or the dialogue leads to anything,” Smith said.
He admitted that dialogue was not a not fail-safe approach, “but you can do a lot just by turning up, and you can do a lot just by starting a dialogue”.
For Iran to back down, Smith said, “it will require a change of approach, a change of attitude, a change of policy on Iran’s behalf”.
If dialogue fails, he added, Australia will contemplate further sanctions, possibly independent of the UN, against the large oil-producing country.
Despite international pressure, and threats of military intervention from Israel, Iran has failed to back down on its nuclear program.
It tentatively agreed to inspections last week, but not before acting in a highly belligerent manner. On Yom Kippur, Iran tested two ballistic missiles, both of which could reach Israel.
Those tests came just a few days after it was revealed that Iran had another, previously unknown, nuclear facility on military land near the city of Qom.
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