by Jim Daniels

June 25, 2009

The civil unrest in Iran is creating the most serious challenge to the Islamic fundamentalist regime to date. If the primary aim of the bloodied demonstrators is to unseat Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and replace him with Mir Hossein Mousavi, their success will be of little consequence to the matter most concerning the West: Iran’s determined effort to develop nuclear weapons. Although Mousavi would like to be viewed as a “moderate,” he is no less intent than Ahmadinejad in establishing Iran’s nuclear supremacy in the region. In fact, serious nuclear development was initiated under his leadership when he was the prime minister.

Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of international terrorism. Iran funds, trains, and supplies terror groups, including Hizbullah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and insurgents in Iraq. The State of Israel is not the primary target of Iran and its proxies; Israel is really the West’s first line of defense. By combining its nuclear capability and its existing ballistic missile know-how (already capable of targeting American troops in the Middle East and parts of Europe), Iran could have a devastating impact on us and our allies. A nuclear Iran would destabilize pro-Western Arab states and would spur a regional nuclear arms race.

Iran is advancing in its nuclear enrichment capability faster than we had originally anticipated. And it has done this in defiance of the international community. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s recent request to install additional monitoring cameras at the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz has been denied. Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, yet it does not abide by the agreement. Iran claims that it is seeking nuclear power to supplement its energy needs. But given Iran’s abundant oil and other natural reserves, this claim does not seem credible.

The IAEA has uncovered evidence that Iran has carried out nuclear developments with no known civilian energy purposes. Furthermore, Iran has already been offered enriched uranium, suitable for peaceful applications, by Russia, but has refused it. 

The IAEA reports that Iran already has more than 2,200 pounds of low-enriched uranium on hand. If further enriched, it is enough for one nuclear bomb. The report also said that more than 7,000 centrifuges (the equipment used to enrich uranium) are in operation. Tehran’s stated goal is to deploy 50,000 units, enabling Iran to produce up to 50 nuclear warheads per year.

In addition to his full support of nuclear development, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, denies basic freedoms to Iran’s citizens, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. It is, therefore, a good first sign to see the people of Iran come to the streets and speak out against this repressive government. As much as we detest loss of life, we welcome and support the struggle of Iranian citizens to establish a more socially just government, but we should be cognizant of the fact that Iran’s thirst for nuclear power will not diminish.

With our own economy floundering and so many of our friends and family out of work, why should we in New Jersey be concerned with Iran’s access to nuclear power? I urge you to think about the consequences. It will not be long before other countries in the region (Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Yemen, and other Gulf states), out of a sense of self-preservation, would clamor for access to nuclear weaponry. Worse yet, can you imagine such weapons in the hands of the likes of Hizbullah and Hamas? What will this shift mean for us in the United States and for Israel and the West as a whole?

Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. We are now at a critical juncture in history, and it is up to each of us to act now with a great sense of urgency. Here are a few effective steps you can take:

• Divest from companies working with Iran’s oil sector (a list of companies can be found at www.ujcnj.org/crc).
• Support our government’s plan to exhaust all reasonable diplomatic, political, and economic avenues — including direct engagement — to persuade the Iranian government to stop the development of nuclear weaponry. Such engagements must have short time limits, because Iran is dangerously close to obtaining the nuclear bomb, and we cannot allow it to further its development under the guise of endless discussions.
• Contact your senators and members of Congress to ensure the passage of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, which would enable the president to impose debilitating economic sanctions on Iran should other avenues fail.
• Stay informed and keep the issue as a priority in your community.

To learn more about these and other action ideas, contact the Stop Iran Now Task Force at www.ujcnj.org/crc or contact crc@ujcnj.org.

Jim Daniels is chair of the Stop Iran Now Task Force of the Community Relations Committee of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey.

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