Get tough on Iran

A call was made today for Australia to ramp up its diplomatic stance against Iran’s ambition to obtain nuclear weapons.

Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, Victorian Liberal Senator Julian McGauran said Australia’s diplomatic language and approach in supporting international efforts to halt Iran’s march to nuclear armament was soft.

“It is time Australia toughened its stance toward Iran.

“The recently tabled Inquiry by the Treaties Committee on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament found Iran had spent over a decade misleading the international community of its true intentions as well as hiding its progress in obtaining the technology to develop nuclear weapons.

“The Committee found that sanctions had little to no effect upon the recalcitrant government’s desire to obtain nuclear weapons. Moreover the recent exposing of a previously unknown uranium enrichment facility in Iran makes it clear that diplomatic talk or tough sanctions are unlikely to stop Iran’s quest for the bomb.

“The international community must quickly conclude Iran’s rhetoric that it seeks nuclear power for peaceful aims is false or it will be too late to pull Iran back from the brink of having such nuclear weapons.

“The real danger of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons is their handing over suitcase style weapons to terrorists groups they support, fund and control in different regions of the world. Israel would be under an unacceptable threat from the Iran sponsored terrorist group Hezbollah.

“Israel would be justified in taking military action to diffuse Iran’s capabilities if the international community fails to stop Iran’s nuclear weapon capacity in the next 24 months.

“Australia must join its allies and become more aggressive toward Iran. We must not only be willing to join any further international sanctions imposed but to endorse military action as a last resort.

“The question of a nuclear armed Iran is the gravest issue confronting the international community today. Prime Minister Rudd and Foreign Minister Smith have the challenge of taking up this issue or continue swaggering around the UN addressing virtually empty assembly halls on far less critical issues.

“Australia has an important role to play on this issue. We are a close ally of the United States, we carry influence in Asia, we are very good friends of Israel and a major trading partner of Iran.

“The Iranian Administration has used up all its diplomatic passes. The recent meeting of the UN Security Council 5+ 1 Group with Iran and their subsequent agreement must be Iran’s last chance before military force is put on the table,” Senator McGauran said.