Did you really expect any other outcome here?

Iran’s government said tonight that it saw a UN-brokered deal to export much of its enriched uranium “in a favourable light”, but asked for a few days’ extension of a UN deadline to make up its mind.

Under the deal, Iran’s stockpile would be reduced by three-quarters, potentially defusing a crisis in the Gulf. The deal had been agreed in principle by Iranian negotiators earlier this month, but Western observers said the delay in its confirmation reflected disputes and indecision at the top of the government in Tehran.

Diplomats said that Iran had also withdrawn from another commitment to hold talks next week on its enrichment programme, leaving the Obama strategy of engagement up in the air.

Iran’s state-run TV channel quoted Ali Asghar Soltanieh, ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, as saying his government looked on the deal favourably but would give its final response next week.

Inspectors are expected at Iranian nuke sites on 10/25, how do you think that is going to turn out?  I’d be very nervous if I was on the team that needed to visit…

Just a quick reality check.

Iran has the second largest proven natural gas reserve in the world, second to to Russia. Iran also roughly 10 percent of the world’s total proven petroleum reserves and sits on one of the largest oil fields in the world so, when the Iranian government says their nuclear program is of a “Peaceful nature” I am a bit skeptical.

Now Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, has “serious concern” and stated:

Iran needs to give the agency substantive information to clear up suspicions…We need, however, to make use of all relevant information to be able to confirm that no no nuclear material is being used for nuclear weapons purposes”

I have no issues with the Iranian people, I simply have a great deal of skepticism of government (Iranian or otherwise) at this point. Furthermore, the U.N. has proven itself to be a lame duck organization, unable to govern itself out of a paper bag, which only raises my doubts even more.

At this point the E.U. needs to wake up and look at what is in their back yard. The only way Iran will disclose their activities is from financial pressure from Europe.

UPDATE:

Here is an interesting WSJ Opinion write up by Richard Holbrooke, James Woolsey, Dennis Ross and Mark Wallace – a good bi-partisan group of highly qualified individuals. The article can be summed up by this paragraph:

Tehran claims that it is enriching uranium only for peaceful energy uses. These claims exceed the boundaries of credibility and science. Iran’s enrichment program is far larger than reasonably necessary for an energy program. In past inspections of Iranian nuclear sites, U.N. inspectors found rare elements that only have utility in nuclear weapons and not in a peaceful nuclear energy program. Iran’s persistent rejection of offers from outside energy suppliers or private bidders to supply it with nuclear fuel suggests it has a motive other than energy in developing its nuclear program. Tehran’s continual refusal to answer questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about this troublesome part of its nuclear program suggests that it has something to hide.