Background

• Iran has been accused by the Bush administration of supporting the terror networks of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban and attempting to destabilize the governments in Lebanon and Iraq. The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, frequently began to call for a complete end to the State of Israel.
• Iranian progress toward the development of nuclear weapons is feared to trigger regional proliferation among countries and terrorist organizations hostile to the United States, Israel, and Europe.
• In Sept 2005, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared Iran in non-compliance with respect to its obligations as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In April 2007, President Ahmadinejad announced that Iran is enriching uranium on an “industrial scale,” but only to develop nuclear energy for civilian purposes.
• The United States and Iran currently maintain no diplomatic relations. The Bush administration's has refused to join talks between Iran and Britain, France, and Germany until the regime "verifiably" freezes its uranium-enrichment efforts.
• Also see Economic Sanctions on Iran and Dialogue with Rogue World Leaders

Debate

Country Comparison

Recent Developments

• The United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany, have been following a "dual track strategy" with Iran, which includes tightening sanctions while offering incentives if Iran suspends its enrichment activities.
• In April 2008, Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized the Bush administration's Iran policy, charging the sanctions have not changed Iran's behavior and Iran has only become a stronger regional power.(Source: CNN)

Additional Information