Editorial: Ratcheting up pressure on Iran

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006 | 7:33 a.m.

On Tuesday, during his State of the Union address, President Bush said he will continue to work with other nations to confront the emerging threat posed by Iran. Shortly after Bush's speech, Iran's president defiantly said he wouldn't give in to demands by the United States and European nations that Iran forgo programs that could result in the production of nuclear weapons.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Tuesday that Iran had obtained information via the black market that shows how to make a nuclear warhead. Today the IAEA is expected to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council, a step that ultimately could result in economic sanctions. Iranian leaders say if the issue is turned over to the Security Council, Iran would halt any more U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities and Iran would accelerate its uranium enrichment program.

Iran's government has become even more belligerent since the June election of Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who not only denies the Holocaust happened but who also has said Israel should be "wiped off the map." Iran's regime poses a serious threat, particularly to Israel, if it is able to build nuclear weapons.

Iran is hoping that Russia, one of its biggest trading partners, will use its leverage with Western nations to prevent economic sanctions. Additionally, Iran could threaten cutting off oil to the West if sanctions are imposed. But no matter the cost, for the world's sake, we can't let Iran get hold of nuclear weapons.