Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
Abstract
According to the Administration's "National Security Strategy" document released on March 16, 2006, the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single country than Iran." That perception continues, generated primarily by Iran's developing nuclear program and intensified by Iran's military assistance to armed groups in Iraq and Afghanistan and to Lebanese Hezbollah. U.S. officials also accuse Iran of refusing to bring to justice several senior Al Qaeda activists in Iran. In part to direct regional attention to that view but also to engage Iran on an Iraq solution, the Administration attended regional conferences on Iraq on March 10, 2007, and May 3-4, 2007, both attended by Iran (and Syria), and subsequently held a bilateral meeting with Iran in Baghdad on May 28. The Bush Administration is pursuing several avenues to attempt to contain the potential threat posed by Iran, but the U.S. emphasis is now on multilateral sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Iran. Iran has not complied with repeated U.N. Security Council deadlines since August 2006 to cease uranium enrichment. That demand is encapsulated in two U.N. resolutions (1737 and 1747) to date that ban trade with and freeze the assets of Iran's nuclear and related entities and personalities, prevent Iran from transferring arms outside Iran, and require reporting on international travel by named Iranians. Separate U.S. efforts have included trying to persuade European governments to curb trade, investment, and credits to Iran; and pressuring foreign banks not to do business with Iran.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 27, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA470018
Entities
People
- Kenneth Katzman
Organizations
- Library of Congress