Abstract

The recent election of an ultra-conservative during the Iranian presidential raceseems to further distance the idea of a positive conclusion to negotiations withTehran. Confronted with a dangerous Iranian agenda, the Europeans have been leadingnegotiations that have had some positive effect so far, but which also pose the risk ofa useless prolongation of discussion. A race against the clock hasstarted in August 2005 when Iran resumed a suspended uranium conversion activities in Isfahan. Time has come for the Security Council to take over – what it should have already done in2003 – in a way that will make Moscow and even more Beijing step out of their somewhatambiguous stances.

Thérèse Delpech, is Director of the Prospective at the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA) and a Researcher associated with the Centre d’études et de recherches internationales (CERI/FNSP). She is also a Council Member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London and an Commissioner beside the United Nations for the disarming of Iraq (UNMOVIC). Her next book, L’Ensauvagement, will be published by Grasset.